Google Search More Changes Coming

On Google's Official Blog there is a new post today titled: Google search and search engine spam. In the blog post Google talks about some of the new techniques they will be imposing in 2011 to help crack down on webspam and Content Farms. They want to improve the quality of the search results even more this year. Even though Google Search does a great job, there is still lots of room for improvement.

Google also talks about reducing the amount of low-quality websites that appear within the search results.

And we’re evaluating multiple changes that should help drive spam levels even lower, including one change that primarily affects sites that copy others’ content and sites with low levels of original content

After reading this one can surmise that Google is also referring to websites that all have the same low-quality text content. This could include supplier's turnkey, template dealer websites. Think about it... when doing a search do you want to see in the results 10 website links that all contain the same content? I certainly don't and it seems from the blog post neither does Google.

Spend the time to write your own unique, original content. Both your targeted audience and the search engines will be more satisfied and it will show up in the number of sales leads your website generates too.

Ship-To-Store, The Good and Bad

Back in the mid-1990s I registered an awesome domain name with the idea of working with flooring stores to sell flooring online and have the goods picked up at their store. I mentioned it to a couple of major flooring manufacturers back then and they almost flipped out. (Eventually, I sold the domain name to a retailer.) Then iFloor.com started popping up stores all around the USA and offered buyers online to pick up their flooring at their neighborhood iFloor store location. Borders Books and other brick-and-mortar stores began to also offer order online and pick up at their store too. The idea of buying flooring online and shipping to your local store has always intrigued me, even today.

Well recently I decided to give it a try to see how brick-and-mortar stores are handling ordering goods online and shipping to their local stores for customer pick-up.

1. The Good

I am an avid fly fisherman for trout and I am always attracted to great fishing deals. Recently Cabelas had a closeout on a $200 Ross fly reel for $99. For me it was a no-brainer, I want one. Since Cabelas has a store I drive by quite often I thought I would save the shipping costs and pick it up at my local Cabelas store. After placing my order it took about 3 days to receive an email stating that the reel was in and I could pick it up. Great, I was going to be driving by the store tomorrow evening and I could pick it up and my wife wouldn't be the wiser. :-) The Catalog window at my local Cabelas store had a responsive, friendly clerk and everything went smooth. Plus, we opened it up in the store and made sure it was correct and undamaged before I left the store. I was out of there in five minutes and I would definitely do it again if the situation arises.

2. The Bad

Next, about two weeks ago I decided I wanted the latest, version 3, Flip Camcorder to use at Surfaces 2011 to show flooring retailers how easy they can make their own in-store marketing movies and easily post videos to their website using my powerful, custom-designed, exclusive content management system. At first I was going to order it from Amazon.com, pay the freight and have it delivered to my home. Then something popped in my head to try Walmart.com and use their "Ship-To-Store" program. Walmart.com also said this particular Flip camcorder was only available online but could be shipped to any location. What they heck, I know Walmart makes returns easy if it is damaged or something is wrong. Plus, I go by there on my way to Office Max and to my barber all the time.

Well after placing the order online Walmart states it takes 1-2 days to process and 7 to 10 days to be delivered to your local Walmart store. At this point I am a little nervous, but no big deal. I ordered it on Jan. 9th, what possibly could go wrong? On 1/19/2011 at 10:59 AM I sent Walmart customer service an email after I logged on to my account and saw a note my shipment was "delayed" at a warehouse which is approximately 1 hour away from my local store. Delayed? Why? I have already waited 10 days and I am running out of time before leaving for Surfaces. My pateince is wearing thin. I send them an email asking for an explanation and I also tell them I could have purchased this from Best Buy for the same price and free shipping. I finally got an email reply from Walmart at 8:59 PM that night with no apology, no "I am sorry", just a canned, template email stating their policy of it takes 7-10 days. Geesh, this makes me really love Walmart as a customer!! Finally it came in on Jan. 20th and I picked it up today, but I won't use Walmart's Ship-To-Store again to save the freight.

My point is when ever you correspond with customers online don't send out canned, cold, un-carrying email replies. Be compassionate and remember customers come first. Your customer's positive word of mouth and positive reviews online are precious. If you make a mistake apologize and work even harder to win back their trust.

By the way, you might just see a video or two from Surfaces posted on this blog... so stay tuned next week. :-)

Google on Out-of-Town Companies Competing With Local Stores

Google's Matt Cutts explaining about out-of-town businesses wanting to compete with the local, in-town businesses for first page Google listings. Meaning, your business is located some where else and you want to be listed (for free) in another city/town where you are not physically located. (Matt does hint at ways to do it within your business's service area.)

Note: There are the pay-per-click sponsored listings and possibly the new Google Boost depending on your location.

Home Depot's Food Fight on Martha Stewart Carpet

First there was the Rhino on carpet, then there was the great pie fight on carpet, then there was the elephants & rhino on carpet and now Home Depot does a 20 kids' food fight on Martha Stewart carpet. Clever, piggy-back off of the carpet mills' idea!

Watch the home Depot video: http://bcove.me/n9kzugsd.

Home Depot Kids Food Fight on Martha Stewart Carpeting

Why aren't some of the retailers doing their own YouTube food fight and making this a hit in their local communities????

The Lesson:

Create some great, relevant content which leads to generating interest and lots of noise online which builds targeted traffic. Then be sure you differentiate yourself from your competitors when users land on your website (no cookie-cutter, me-too crap) and include some enticing call-to-actions to drive shoppers to your store location(s).

Nike StepAhead Carpet Cushion Exclusive to Home Depot

I stumbled on this news while doing some SEO research for a client. This should be great for marketing to consumers both online and offline.

"Nike provides Future Foam with Nike Grind, a clean surplus shoe scrap material that we refine into StepAhead carpet cushion. StepAhead carpet padding is exclusively available at you favorite Home Depot store."

Click here for the article on Home Depot's website.

At Surfaces Where Can You Get Expert Web Design, SEO & FREE Popcorn?

Only one place at Surfaces 2011 will have FREE POPCORN and offer expert web design & SEO serivces. It's all at the WFCA's booth. MarketingYourStore.com (Webstream Dynamics) will be offering our new 2011 web design services and Retailer SEO services inside the WFCA booth. AND... the WFCA will have FREE popcorn from 11 AM until 3 PM all three days during the show. So for those attending the show come over, have some popcorn and let us show you how to capture more sales leads for your store!

Webstream Dynamics / MarketingYourStore.com will also have some great insights into getting better search engine rankings and how to easily use video on your websites to engage your targeted flooring shoppers! We will be demostrating our custom flooring websites programs and many other things as well.

Not a member of WFCA?
That's okay, you can still come in see us after stopping by the person out front of the booth and getting a badge. We will even show you why I personally feel the WFCA is worth the investment for all flooring stores! No gimmicks, no hype, just proven facts.

How does your store measure up online?

Do you ever take the time to analyze how your store is really doing online? With the slow winter months now is a perfect time to analyze your website, traffic, leads, online consumer reviews and where your store is listed across the Internet. This will give you a better understanding of of how effective your business is doing online and things you might do in 2011 to help improve your online visibilty and help you capture more targeted sales leads.

Retailer Questionnaire

To help retailers with this, I have created a questionnaire with 20 questions for stores to answer about their business, website and other places online your store is listed. You can do this yourself, or if you prefer, Webstream Dynamics will do it for you for a one-time fee. We also include some local SEO analysis and recommendations which can really help you improve your visibility online.

If you are interested I will have questionnaire available at Surfaces. You can also send me an email along with your store name and city to: john@webstreamdynamics.com if you would like to receive a free copy of the questionnaire.

Will Amazon Continue To Sell Pergo And Other Flooring Brands in 2011?

Over the years I have had great experience buying various small items from Amazon and I am sure they probably sell tons of home improvement items, just like the big boxes stores do. But, when I first saw Amazon starting to sell flooring direct, back in 2009, I really wondered "Do they know what they are getting into?". I was even more amazed to see them selling samples. (Especially at $11-$13 per sample!!).


Click on the image for larger view


Based on what I see on their website, selling Pergo and BHK Flooring direct doesn't appear to be doing very well. Some of the colors of laminate flooring that they are out of stock on state: "We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock." Also, the customer reviews talk about Fedex damaging the boxes in shipping. As one reviewer stated: "I would not recommend buying flooring from a supplier (Amazon) that does not have experience shipping such items." So will Amazon continue selling Pergo direct from Amazon in 2011? (Meaning, Shipped and Sold by Amazon) I personally doubt it. Time will tell if I am right or not.

Even though it seems the low-end laminates are getting cheaper and cheaper the shipping and handling will always be a major issue. Sure there will be those 3rd party affiliates who will continue to promote their flooring products through the big e-retailers, like Amazon. But they will always be a very, very small percentage of the overall floor covering business and every bad consumer experience will also take its toll on the flooring manufacturer's brand reputation, regardless if it is their fault or not.

Google Delivers Blazing Fast Local Search Results

Can Google show results faster than we can think or type? Well, it sure seems lately that Google is faster than most of us can type a search phrase. That is because of Google Instant. Last year Google launched Google Instant - a search enhancement that shows results as you type. For example when I go to Google and type the letter "w", I instantly see my local weather forecast...

Who needs weather websites when Google does it so fast? :)

Google Instant tries to suggest and predict what you may be looking for. After all, the faster they can help you find what you are looking for the happier and more satisfied you will be with Google and the more time you may spend on Google.

Google Instant will probably improve many peoples' searching skills, but it may also influence what websites searchers click on through the power of suggestions. For example, as I type something like... "floori" I instantly start to see flooring results that are both location-based, as well as other suggestions based on the nature of the word itself. See screenshot below...



Google Instant suggestions for "floori"

 Although you can turn Google Instant on or off I doubt most people will bother. Also, when I look under the hood at the HTML source code I see Google has text alerts ready if your connection speed is too slow for using Google Instant. So slower connections may not see Google Instant suggestions. (Note: Google is also suggesting you make Google your browser's home page.)

As I mentioned above, Google Instant is also showing suggestions that are location-based. Meaning, some local results appear based on your Internet foot-print (where you are accessing the Internet from). Google may list Google Places listings and include a corresponding Google Local Map in the upper right hand corner. Search results will vary depending on your location, which should give each person a more personalized local results listing.

As retailers you may think these new location based, instant results are great, if you are one of the lucky ones listed. But for most this can mean lots less traffic. Website SEO may not have any bearing on whether you appear on page 1 of these search results. That is especially true for Google Places listings, which are totally different than the organic website listings.

Staying on top of this is going to be even more important in 2011, especially as Google lures more and more people to begin all their local business searches on Google at blazing speeds! This will undoubtedly make this year very competitive for marketing your store online. Are you ready?