Backlinks for local business

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  • SEO
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Im working with a small coffee shop that just opened here in fort worth.

Im helping them promote their business online in a number of different ways including review sites, paid traffic, and social media.

Im exploring helping them try to rank for some local keyword searches.

Ive never been much good with seo.

In your professional opinion, how difficult would it be to rank for local keyword searches for a coffee shop with a single location?

And what would be the best way to go about doing this?

Thanks!

Btw, whats a great course to learn the latest devlopments in seo?
#backlinks #business #local
  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Originally Posted by Zachary R. Skinner View Post

    Im working with a small coffee shop that just opened here in fort worth.

    Im helping them promote their business online in a number of different ways including review sites, paid traffic, and social media.

    Im exploring helping them try to rank for some local keyword searches.

    Ive never been much good with seo.

    In your professional opinion, how difficult would it be to rank for local keyword searches for a coffee shop with a single location?

    And what would be the best way to go about doing this?

    Thanks!

    Btw, whats a great course to learn the latest devlopments in seo?
    How difficult it would be depends entirely on the competition within the market.

    Honestly though, I think that is a waste of time and resources. I don't know anyone who searches for a coffee shop in Google. If they search for anything, generally they search specifically for Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, or whatever their coffee shop of choice is.

    Beyond that, they know where coffee shops are in their area unless they just moved there.

    Time and money would be much better spent marketing the shop on Facebook.

    As an SEO, if a coffee shop came and tried to throw money at me to rank their coffee shop in Google, I would give them their money back. They are just not going to get a serious return on their investment.

    They should have a website and be in Google My Business, so that if someone searches for them specifically, they show up as a local business. Outside of that, I wouldn't bother focusing on SEO at all.
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  • Profile picture of the author HangTenSEO
    I disagree.

    I have had many instances where people have come up to me in the morning and inquired about a coffee shop near by. That is probably the number one question I get asked, so you can certainly bet others are going to be using their phones to find one.

    People love their coffee and those that aren't familiar with the area will want their fix. I know quite a few coffee drinkers that like to get their coffee locally rather than via a Starbucks chain.

    Connect with the local community and try to get local backlinks.

    IMO every local business can use Local SEO help beyond GMB.

    As far as course go, Check out Moz, Search Engine Land, Backlinco, SEObook. They will help get you started.

    I do agree that having a good Facebook presence will help.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    So the #1 question you get asked is if there is a coffee shop around?

    Lol... yeah, ok.


    Anyhow, the search volume is going to be so small, that they won't get a decent ROI if they put in the appropriate money and time into outranking the local big chains and established independent shops.

    Much better off going the social route and trying to create buzz. That in addition to print, radio, and TV ads is where their money should be going, not SEO.
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    • Profile picture of the author HangTenSEO
      Actually yes. I am a runner and when we are done running and cooling down people are always coming up to us asking for directions. "Where can we get coffee" is probably number one.

      By your logic any common business shouldn't do SEO because it isn't worth the ROI. I disagree.
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      • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
        Originally Posted by HangTenSEO View Post

        By your logic any common business shouldn't do SEO because it isn't worth the ROI. I disagree.
        No. That is not my logic at all. You have to understand the logistics of the business a little bit. Unless you are only charging $50 for SEO or something ridiculous, the search volume is not going to be there for them to get a return on the money and time they spend to rank.

        Dig into the business a little bit and you will understand what I am talking about.

        It is the same thing with bars. I would almost never tell a bar to put resources into SEO. They are far better off marketing themselves through social media.
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        • Profile picture of the author SEOMasterMind52
          Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

          No. That is not my logic at all. You have to understand the logistics of the business a little bit. Unless you are only charging $50 for SEO or something ridiculous, the search volume is not going to be there for them to get a return on the money and time they spend to rank.

          Dig into the business a little bit and you will understand what I am talking about.

          It is the same thing with bars. I would almost never tell a bar to put resources into SEO. They are far better off marketing themselves through social media.
          I would have to agree and disagree. I agree here because I have worked with a bar and even though I succeeded in getting them ranked for over 20 keywords on the first page of Google there wasn't a real change or a huge influx of customers due to SEO.

          That being said, this establishment was in a busy city (Arlington, VA) right on the corner of a major intersection so it gets a ton of foot traffic and huge local DJ's played there.

          A coffee shop in an area that may not have as much foot traffic could benefit from some form of SEO but again it all depends on the location. SEO could help increase the amount of customers coming through the coffee shops doors but that is difficult to track.

          This goes back to Mike's point that eventually even if you succeed in ranking the website for a ton of targeted local keywords a store owner might not be happy that there are still not enough customers coming through the doors. This could lead to termination or bad press for you and your business.

          My advice would be to do some research before you do anything for or with the coffee shop to be safe. It may benefit them and you in the long run to do just some simple Facebook marketing for a couple hundred bucks a month rather than 500 - 1000 bucks a month for SEO.

          Most companies respect that and with that being said, ask to manage their Facebook marketing campaign. Then you can charge some extra money for your time and market for them that way. If you succeed who knows they may recommend you to someone that walks through those doors that you generated for them.
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          • Originally Posted by SEOMasterMind52 View Post

            I would have to agree and disagree. I agree here because I have worked with a bar and even though I succeeded in getting them ranked for over 20 keywords on the first page of Google there wasn't a real change or a huge influx of customers due to SEO.

            That being said, this establishment was in a busy city (Arlington, VA) right on the corner of a major intersection so it gets a ton of foot traffic and huge local DJ's played there.

            A coffee shop in an area that may not have as much foot traffic could benefit from some form of SEO but again it all depends on the location. SEO could help increase the amount of customers coming through the coffee shops doors but that is difficult to track.

            This goes back to Mike's point that eventually even if you succeed in ranking the website for a ton of targeted local keywords a store owner might not be happy that there are still not enough customers coming through the doors. This could lead to termination or bad press for you and your business.

            My advice would be to do some research before you do anything for or with the coffee shop to be safe. It may benefit them and you in the long run to do just some simple Facebook marketing for a couple hundred bucks a month rather than 500 - 1000 bucks a month for SEO.

            Most companies respect that and with that being said, ask to manage their Facebook marketing campaign. Then you can charge some extra money for your time and market for them that way. If you succeed who knows they may recommend you to someone that walks through those doors that you generated for them.
            Yeah, that was exactly the idea that i had. For small, local businesses facebook and twitter can be extremely powerful marketing tools.
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  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    In the case of a coffee shop that probably does not have an online store.. I would ensure there is a mobile site ( NOT a responsive site ) that has the ability to direct call and directions.

    Originally Posted by Zachary R. Skinner View Post

    Im working with a small coffee shop that just opened here in fort worth.

    Im helping them promote their business online in a number of different ways including review sites, paid traffic, and social media.

    Im exploring helping them try to rank for some local keyword searches.

    Ive never been much good with seo.

    In your professional opinion, how difficult would it be to rank for local keyword searches for a coffee shop with a single location?

    And what would be the best way to go about doing this?

    Thanks!

    Btw, whats a great course to learn the latest devlopments in seo?
    Signature
    Success is an ACT not an idea
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  • Profile picture of the author HangTenSEO
    Every single client I have taken on has had issues with their websites. They haven't submitted sitemaps, they aren't listed on GMB, they have 404 errors, they have missing title tags, they haven't installed analytics or haven't looked looked at it, their plugins are out of date...

    Basically they have zero clue to what is really going on with their websites. They are too busy running their business.

    On the Local SEO side with citations, they have all sorts of messed up listings. Old phone numbers, wrong addresses, incorrect names...

    Fixing these can go a long way to improving their local rankings.

    This is just basic stuff where a good SEO person can help.

    Your website is probably the only thing you really have control over. Facebook or Twitter or the next big social media platform can change the way they do business and then all of a sudden the traffic that you used to get from those platforms disappears.

    I do agree that it's hard to quantify customers walking in the door because of a Facebook ad they saw vs SEO. For me personally FB ads that get served up to me haven't made me go anywhere locally. Almost always if I am looking for something local I will do a google search, get on Google Maps or type it on my phone.
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  • I think i should have started off by asking, "is SEO even worth it for a small, local coffee shop?"

    I didnt think it would be which is why i havent even suggested it to the owners.

    For a coffee shop, yelp and facebook are definitely where its at and they are essentially free to use

    When i was in las vegas last year i visited a mexican restaurant that had amassed over 1000 reviews on yelp in less than a year. They shared their secret with me and it was unbelieveably simple
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  • Profile picture of the author SEOMasterMind52
    HangTenSEO - I couldn't tell you how many times I have had a client come to me with a broken website. Almost every client I have had a broken or incomplete website. There content not finished, broken links, pages with no content, duplicate content, no Google search console or analytics. It is mind blowing since most of this information is easily accessible on the web.

    That is why teaching yourself isn't always the easiest thing to do when it comes to SEO.

    I truly think organic SEO is the best approach for every website and business but sometimes doing research first and learning if a business needs to wait to perform SEO until it has generated a buzz or a cult following so the business owner can afford to pay it and generate more foot traffic is a good idea.

    There are many other strategies to SEO that are more affordable and can still benefit a business or website owner. A video that you rank for the coffee shop might work (not saying this is a good idea but listing other methods of SEO that can help businesses that I have successfully used).

    Video marketing and using on-page on YouTube and backlinks to rank a video for local keywords may work for some businesses but not others. Like a short commercial or information based video.

    My favorite example is Stihl, the chainsaw and outdoor company. They have videos all over the web that don't sell their products but rather, teach you how to use them safely, how to maintain them in order to make them last longer, and the proper tools to fix their products DIY style.

    This builds brand trust and something similar could help a coffee shop you just have to sit down and discuss or present a way to do such a thing.
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  • Profile picture of the author backlinkfy
    You can create powerful inbound links to your business website and convert this traffic into qualified leads with the help of business listings in High Page Rank local directories. Most of this directories are paid but can help you rank higher locally for your keywords.

    Search your local area for "local business directory listing" and see what comes up. Only list your site on well research directories with traffic flow and do-follow backlinks.
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  • Profile picture of the author DABK
    I am with Mike on this one, having worked with a pastry shop/

    (Slice of cake selling for $3 costs the shop $1, $1 goes to rent/mortgage, electricity, equipment, etc.), the remaining $1 is for the owner and the employees (1 per shift). $5 dollar slices: $2.5 to purchase them, the rest is almost the same).

    Takes a lot of slices to just break even, even more to hire SEO consultants. And, for most locations, there's not enough extra clients you can bring in.)

    You may get on page 1 for a lot of keywords with onpage optimization, fixing Google pages, making a youtube profile correctly and uploading a video or two, claiming the yelp page.

    But, wouldn't you be better off partnering with the local bank? Every one gets a free coffee on the anniversary of their account opening. All they have to do is bring in a card the shop gives the bank. (They, in return, will display the bank's postcard on their counter, or on every table). (When they get the free coffee, they get a coupon : bring this coupon next week and get 15% off whatever... And when they bring that one in, they get another coupon.... After you get them to come in 3 or 4 times, they're a lot more likely to keep coming... on their own, for free, being my argument.)

    The offer has to be perceived as good (enough) every time.

    With the pastry shop I mentioned, the first ad offered 30% off any slice, the 1st coupon 25% off on any slice; the 3rd one, 25% on a slice, if they bought 3.) I created a 4th and a 5th but the owner didn't give them away. The owner didn't feel they were needed. (Don't know how he came to feel that.) In the end, the owner said he acquired regulars that came one to four times a month, spending $15 to $20 per visit. Some of them are still coming, 3 years later.

    The only problem... owner didn't track accurately... So we don't know how many coupons he gave away, or were brought in. It was working, so why keep tracking, was his attitude... The ad appeared for several weeks after he stopped tracking.... (I am, here, making sure you make sure your owner tracks everything, for the duration.)
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by DABK View Post

      I am with Mike on this one, having worked with a pastry shop/

      (Slice of cake selling for $3 costs the shop $1, $1 goes to rent/mortgage, electricity, equipment, etc.), the remaining $1 is for the owner and the employees (1 per shift). $5 dollar slices: $2.5 to purchase them, the rest is almost the same).

      Takes a lot of slices to just break even, even more to hire SEO consultants. And, for most locations, there's not enough extra clients you can bring in.)

      You may get on page 1 for a lot of keywords with onpage optimization, fixing Google pages, making a youtube profile correctly and uploading a video or two, claiming the yelp page.

      But, wouldn't you be better off partnering with the local bank? Every one gets a free coffee on the anniversary of their account opening. All they have to do is bring in a card the shop gives the bank. (They, in return, will display the bank's postcard on their counter, or on every table). (When they get the free coffee, they get a coupon : bring this coupon next week and get 15% off whatever... And when they bring that one in, they get another coupon.... After you get them to come in 3 or 4 times, they're a lot more likely to keep coming... on their own, for free, being my argument.)

      The offer has to be perceived as good (enough) every time.

      With the pastry shop I mentioned, the first ad offered 30% off any slice, the 1st coupon 25% off on any slice; the 3rd one, 25% on a slice, if they bought 3.) I created a 4th and a 5th but the owner didn't give them away. The owner didn't feel they were needed. (Don't know how he came to feel that.) In the end, the owner said he acquired regulars that came one to four times a month, spending $15 to $20 per visit. Some of them are still coming, 3 years later.

      The only problem... owner didn't track accurately... So we don't know how many coupons he gave away, or were brought in. It was working, so why keep tracking, was his attitude... The ad appeared for several weeks after he stopped tracking.... (I am, here, making sure you make sure your owner tracks everything, for the duration.)

      Yes, exactly.

      Too many SEO's only see things through the tint of their own glasses. They try to think everything fits into an SEO solution. It doesn't.

      You know what else is eating into search results for coffee shops? Apps. For anyone that uses the Starbucks app, they can search for other locations from the app instead of Google.

      Things like the idea mentioned above is what they should be focusing on instead. Build a following right away instead of waiting 3 months to hope you are ranking, and then watch the trickle of customers that brings you.
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  • Profile picture of the author vic1
    No matter what the opinion is, there are basics EVERY local business should have.
    1-Decent website.
    2-Decent Facebook page.
    3-Decent Google My Business or what ever they are calling it these days, seem to change every 6 months.
    4-Introduction video or two hosted on YouTube and embedded on sites above.
    5-Reviews, reviews, did I say reviews posted everywhere. They should have a handy link or easy way for customers to post reviews with out gaming the system. Whitespark has a nice form for that too.

    Correct NAP on EVERYTHING; website, Facebook etc... with at least 50 local citations; if it was my business, I would shoot for as many citations as Whitespark could find for me, hundreds if possible.

    Google will list that business fairly high in the local ranking for the city it's located in; of course depending on competition and what experiment they're running at the time.

    Not that it matters anymore as far as the 3?pak. All my clients use Adwords Express just to make sure they're up at the top.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    Have to agree with Mike on this one.

    Probably not necessary.
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  • Profile picture of the author avemfly619619
    i think..you must focus to create backlinks and do smo to promote any small business.if you have some budge to spend money on adwards then you must try it.
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      No, you must do neither. You have the option. If it makes financial sense. And, most likely, with most coffee shops, it doesn't.

      There are better (i.e., more revenue in relation to cost) ways of getting people to buy your coffee.

      Originally Posted by avemfly619619 View Post

      i think..you must focus to create backlinks and do smo to promote any small business.if you have some budge to spend money on adwards then you must try it.
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  • Out of curiosity, does anyone have any suggestions on what the best way to promote a small business like this on Facebook would be?

    My own strategy is to host free or low cost events and promote them on Facebook. The more people you can get in the door, the better
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      Why wait to have an event?

      Did the new batch of X coffee arrive? Post on facebook.

      You could also advertise on facebook.

      You don't need the best way; you need several ways that work and do as many of them as you can.

      Winning a million dollar gets you a million dollar.

      Making $100 from 10,000 sources gets you a million dollar.

      If you fail at the first, you end up with 0; if you fail at the second you end up with anything between 2 and 999,999; might even be 900,000, for instance.

      Originally Posted by Zachary R. Skinner View Post

      Out of curiosity, does anyone have any suggestions on what the best way to promote a small business like this on Facebook would be?

      My own strategy is to host free or low cost events and promote them on Facebook. The more people you can get in the door, the better
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    • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
      Find Fort Worths most popular coffee shop and figure out/replicate what they are doing.

      Seriously, I think you're overthinking this. Chances are, all you need to do is some good old fashioned offline marketing. Loyalty cards, flyers, great service, friendly staff, awesome food etc.

      Watch an episode of any Gordon Ramsays Kitchen nightmares, for clues. He doesnt muck around with SEO or online marketing, he gets out and networks with people. Do the same.

      I regularly travel 25 minutes to a coffee shop from where i live, and I've never seen them online. Ever. Infact, Ive never looked.
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  • Profile picture of the author 3ym3jtmmk
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    • Originally Posted by 3ym3jtmmk View Post

      No. That is not my rationale by any stretch of the imagination. You need to comprehend the coordinations of the business a tiny bit. Unless you are just charging $50 for SEO or something strange, the hunt volume is not going to be there for them to get an arrival on the cash and time they spend to rank.
      I totally agree, seo for a local coffee shop would not at all be worth it
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