How to build a Local Website

Go Local is the name of the game in 2011/12 and the success of bringing the global web developments back home is a trend of the time. First it was about tagging people, now we tag locations, be it on social networks such as Facebook or on Photo sites, such as Picasa or Flickr.

Based on the fact that surfers search for and prefer local business to cross border transactions, social networks namely have built in the local tags and stimulate users to hook media and events to geographically tagged locations.

In order to dominate the local market, you need to assess the use of the internet your neighbors make; chances are that they mostly hang out on social media, search Google and use email. This is of course an extremely simplified view but it gives an indication about where we need to build high visibility.

You also want to have an idea about how people access the net and websites; you will notice an increased use of mobile deices, which means that your content needs to be formatted and optimized  for desktops as well as for tablets and mobile phones.

Finally you may notice that surfers prefer visual content to text, which impacts on editing and publishing for multiple platforms.

In order to build high visibility on search returns, you need

• a local website.
• make use of all possible Google Listings pertaining to the geographic location.
• great content and consistent publishing to provide useful information and trigger conversation.

To dominate social networks (Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn) we need

• optimized profiles.
• Facebook Pages.
• a consistent flow of information to trigger attention and conversation.
• an optimized set-up to assure traffic back to our websites (let the social networks work for us instead of the opposite).

To dominate the mobile web we need

• mobile versions of our websites (tablets and smartphones).
• mobile search optimization.
• ideally an App.
• easy to use interactive functions.

The answer is similar to managing a business online. There are three main elements I like to focus on:

• an optimized workflow to assure maximum productivity.
• high quality content and content providers.
• an integrated publishing network to hit all the important targets with per platform optimized content.

• Ads from Local Business.
• Ads from external Business wanting to do business locally.
• Eventually by integrating a local directory.
• Eventually by integrating a real estate classifieds feature.
• Eventually by integrating a service and products exchange.
•  … and more.

Just a few ideas:

• Talk about people.
• Talk about events.
• Talk about stories concerning the community.
• Talk about Local Sports, Clubs, Associations.
• Publish Pictures (people like to see their face and place).
• Talk about local business.
• Integrate a news wire from the major’s office.
• Have a local Gossip column.
• Let visitors contribute and discuss content.
• Don’t forget rating.
• Create competitions, contests, top 3 lists.
• Exchange advertising space with local media to promote your site quickly an consistently.
• Bring the conversation from social networks back to your site.
• … and so much more!

I hope this post helps your brainstorming when creating your local project. I will publish shortly a detailed project for my demo community, Vouliagmeni.

Related posts:

1. How to Optimize your Impact on Social and Mobile Networks
2. Facebook Strategy with WordPress
3. Google Top 10 Dominate your Keyword 3
4. 3 Web Design Trends in 2011
5. New Facebook Pages Publishing Concept

Social Network Publishing is a hot topic, dealing with strategies and means to publish on and to social networks. Since social networks and more recently also niche social networks are mushrooming, the main problem for publishers is:

How to Publish to Social Networks without being there

as well as

How to measure the performance without going there

as well as

How to monitor and convert interaction without working there

The answers to these and many other questions are on the agenda of the Ycademy Online Seminar which will take place this coming week-end at the online conferencing from Ycademy.

Social Network Publishing

While the first day of the two days event will be spent on setting up a Semiomantics Publishing Framework called NewsCast, the second day will demonstrate how to implement a successful Social Network Publishing Strategy. Featured Networks are twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Flickr.

Tests have resulted in smashing revelations. Participants will be able to implement exactly the same set-up on their websites.

Look forward to a great and rewarding week-end!

Tickets are available from HERE .

Google Top 10 Dominate your Keyword 2

This series of post demonstrates a fast and efficient way to dominate a keyword on Google Top 10. We apply strictly the recommendations from Ycademy and Semiomantics and we expect a tangible result within the next few days. This is day 1.

Google Top 10 Step 5

Social Network Publishing Installation

Subsequent to our earlier post we have registered the 2 domains socialnetworkpublishing.net and socialnetworkpublishing.org.

We have then contracted two separate cPanel accounts from ChiHosters on two different servers and IP addresses.

We have then set up a Semiomantics YORGOO Booster script on Social Network Publishing Net (WP 2.8.2) and a Semiomantics YORGOO Booster Script on Social Network Publishing Org, with a backbone from WP 2.7.1.

We have also configured the two sites according to recommendations and we have posted a first post to each site, making reference to Social Network Publishing.

Note: Both sites are ads free for the time being.

Google top 10 Step 6

Social Network Publishing On-site and Off-site Optimization

On both sites we use a customized permalinks structure  as per Booster and Blaster instructions. We have added the Ping list from YORGOO Booster to Social Network publishing NET and the Ping list from YORGOO Publishing to the ORG site.

We have created one category on each site, “Social Network Publishing”. The Name of both sites is Social Network Publishing.

In stead of using All-in-one-SEO Pack we use a modified version from Semiomantics, a prototype, which, subject to successful testing, will be integrated to Boosters and Blasters in the near future.

Further optimization will be achieved with an unorthodox use of YORGOO Ads.

Google Top 10 Step 7

Social Network Publishing Indexing and Content

Now we are looking for quick indexing (by Google) and for this reason we put some meet on the bone. We syndicate some posts from YORGOO Publishing into the ORG site; the ORG site belongs to YORGOO Publishing.

We also syndicate some posts from Yorgo Nestoridis into the NET site; NET is attached to Yorgo Nestoridis. We edit a few posts to make their content unique. Copyrights are no issue as all concerned posts are from YN.

Now we wait for Google to notice our new babies.

Google Top 10 Step 8

Social Network Publishing: Linking

While we are waiting for Google to index the site, we take the time to add some links to our sites: we create two categories, the blog roll and contributors. Contributors are mainly links back to sites we receive content from for re-publishing or re-editing. The Blog roll will be used for a mix of contextual and commercial sites representing an interest; we use ‘dofollow’ on all links.

Google Top 10 Next Step

For the time being, we leave it as is; we could go and claim the site on Technorati and other bookmarking sites, but we prefer to just post an article or two about the new sites to one of our blogs.

Once we are indexed on Google, we will fine-tune the sites to storm Google Top 10 on our keyword Social Network Publishing.

Read also:

• Social Network Publishing Model
• Google Top 10 Dominate your Keyword
• Make Money with Twitter
• Aka-Aki
• Social Media Marketing by Ycademy

Author: Yorgo Nestoridis, Media Marketing & Publishing, Founder of YORGOO Publishing, YORGOO Press and Semiomantics.