Free Local SEO Reviews I Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Why do you think reviews are a "trust indicator"?

Customers frequently Google the weather, but advertising ultimately leads them to review sites.
Trust no one. Mulder of the X Files was right.
Customers trust companies with 100% five star reviews.
Customers often believe reviews (even if they may be fake or solicited). (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Customers often believe reviews (even if they may be fake or solicited).

Reviews serve as a 'trust indicator' because consumers generally place significant weight on the experiences and opinions of others, even if those reviews might be manipulated or inauthentic. The sheer volume and sentiment of reviews can heavily influence a potential customer's perception of a business's credibility and quality. This social proof mechanism makes reviews a powerful factor in building or eroding consumer trust.

Question 2: What is a working description of the kinds of reviews one would read on a review website like AirBnB, Yelp, Amazon, or Google?

All reviews are filtered by the company and are highly reliable.
Companies like Yelp extort customers to write bad reviews.
All reviews are fake and should not be trusted.
Reviews are often a mix between real or fake reviews. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Reviews are often a mix between real or fake reviews.

On major review websites like Yelp, Google, and Amazon, the reviews presented are typically a blend of genuine customer experiences and potentially fake or solicited content. While platforms employ algorithms and moderation to combat fraud, it's challenging to filter out all inauthentic reviews. Therefore, consumers should approach reviews with a critical eye, understanding that not every review reflects an unbiased, real-world interaction.

Question 3: What does it mean to "optimize" a business listing or product listing on a site like Yelp, Google, or Amazon?

Nothing. Businesses can do nothing to optimize their listing. It's all about reviews.
Businesses should include keywords that are relevant to their customers in their description and photos. (Correct answer)
Businesses should have family members click om reviews to push them up as "promoted."
Businesses should never use 1-800 numbers on review websites.

Correct answer: Businesses should include keywords that are relevant to their customers in their description and photos.

To 'optimize' a business or product listing on platforms like Yelp or Google means strategically enhancing its content to improve visibility and appeal. This involves incorporating relevant keywords into descriptions, categories, and even image alt text, making it easier for customers to find the listing through search. Optimization also includes ensuring all business information is accurate and comprehensive, which helps both search engines and users.

Question 4: What is a good explanation of the "review revolution?" Choose the best answer.

The fact that now literally anyone can write reviews of local businesses and many other businesses. (Correct answer)
Yelp or Google.
Bing's use of Yelp as its primary source of customer reviews.
An event in 16th century France against restaurant owners.

Correct answer: The fact that now literally anyone can write reviews of local businesses and many other businesses.

The 'review revolution' refers to the transformative shift where digital platforms have empowered virtually anyone to publish their opinions and experiences about businesses. This widespread accessibility to review writing has democratized feedback, giving consumers a powerful voice and significantly influencing purchasing decisions. It has fundamentally changed how businesses are perceived and how consumers make choices.

Question 5: What is meant by NAP (Name/Address/Phone) or citation consistency?

That you should never include an 800 number for a local business.
That the same name, address, and phone should appear on Google and Yelp.
Your business listing on YP.com
That the same name, address, and phone should appear on all review sites including your website. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: That the same name, address, and phone should appear on all review sites including your website.

NAP (Name, Address, Phone) or citation consistency refers to the critical practice of ensuring your business's name, address, and phone number are identical across all online platforms, including your website, Google Business Profile, Yelp, and other directories. Inconsistent NAP information can confuse search engines, negatively impacting local SEO rankings and making it harder for customers to find accurate contact details. Maintaining consistency builds trust and improves local search visibility.

Question 6: What is unusual about a business profile on a review site like Yelp or Google as compared with their page on Facebook?

The business can share a post or content.
The business listing may exist whether or not the business wants it and the business cannot remove the listing. (Correct answer)
Customers can view it on a mobile phone.
The business can delete negative reviews.

Correct answer: The business listing may exist whether or not the business wants it and the business cannot remove the listing.

A key difference between a business profile on a review site (like Yelp or Google) and a social media page (like Facebook) is that review site listings can be created by users or the platform itself, often without the business's explicit consent. Once established, these listings are generally permanent and cannot be simply deleted by the business owner, even if they wish to opt out. Businesses can claim and manage them, but not remove them entirely.

Question 7: That is typically the consumer persona that will leave a review if you—the business owner—do nothing?

The happy customer, especially for plumbers or local service businesses like electricians.
Your mom or other family members.
There is no pattern to who is likely to review. Give up already.
The unhappy customer. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The unhappy customer.

If a business owner does nothing to solicit reviews, the consumer persona most likely to leave a review is typically the unhappy customer. Dissatisfied individuals are often highly motivated to share their negative experiences as a form of catharsis or warning to others. This natural inclination means that a passive approach to reviews can lead to a skewed representation of a business's overall customer satisfaction.

Question 8: What appears on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) when you run a keyword search on Google?

SEO
KPI'S
BACKLINKS
SERP (Correct answer)

Correct answer: SERP

SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page, which is the page displayed by a search engine in response to a user's query. When you run a keyword search on Google, the information presented, including organic listings, paid ads, local packs, and featured snippets, all appear on the SERP. This term directly describes the output of a search query.

Question 9: Since Google loves organized, data-driven content, may be highlighted using comparison charts and lists.

optimizing featured snippets
title tag
table snippet (Correct answer)
image size

Correct answer: table snippet

Google loves organized, data-driven content, and a 'table snippet' is a specific type of rich result that can be highlighted on the SERP. When content is structured in tables, Google can extract this data and display it directly in search results, often in comparison charts or lists, making it highly visible and useful for users. Optimizing content with well-structured tables increases the chance of earning these valuable snippets.

Question 10: The amount of searches each day that have never seen before by Google.

25%
10%
15% (Correct answer)
40%

Correct answer: 15%

Google frequently states that approximately 15% of the searches it sees each day are entirely new, meaning they have never been queried before. This statistic highlights the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of user search behavior and the vastness of information being sought online. It also underscores the challenge and importance for search engines to constantly adapt and understand new queries.

Question 11: Blog/forum remarks, external links from other websites, social media, and press releases.

social sites
social media profiles
off-page factor examples (Correct answer)
mobile site speed

Correct answer: off-page factor examples

Off-page factors in SEO refer to activities that happen outside of your website but influence its ranking. Blog/forum remarks, external links from other websites (backlinks), social media mentions, and press releases are all prime examples of off-page signals. These elements demonstrate a website's authority, trustworthiness, and popularity to search engines, contributing significantly to its overall SEO performance.

Question 12: How websites should be set up to rationally arrange information.

phonologically
categorically
hierarchically (Correct answer)
sequentially

Correct answer: hierarchically

Websites should ideally be set up 'hierarchically' to rationally arrange information. This means organizing content in a logical, tree-like structure, with broad categories at the top and more specific subcategories and individual pages branching off. A hierarchical structure makes it easier for both users to navigate and search engines to crawl and understand the site's content, improving user experience and SEO.

Question 13: For most websites, it is challenging to achieve Google's recommendation that the mobile version of a website load in under a second, but it is crucial to minimize page load time as much as possible.

mobile site speed (Correct answer)
mobile specific seo
social sites
anchor text

Correct answer: mobile site speed

'Mobile site speed' is a critical factor for SEO, and Google strongly recommends that mobile websites load in under a second. While achieving this can be challenging, minimizing page load time on mobile devices is crucial because it directly impacts user experience and search rankings. Slower mobile sites lead to higher bounce rates and can be penalized by Google's algorithms.

Question 14: When the brand name of the business or organization appears in the anchor text link.

generic anchor text
branded anchor text (Correct answer)
image anchor text

Correct answer: branded anchor text

'Branded anchor text' occurs when the brand name of the business or organization is used as the clickable text for a hyperlink. For example, if a link says 'Learn more at [Your Company Name],' that's branded anchor text. This type of anchor text is valuable for building brand recognition and authority, and it signals to search engines that the linked content is associated with a specific, reputable entity.

Question 15: Can generate more awareness of your site and its content, leading to more backlinks as well from how easy it is for users to share site content.

social personalization
social media profiles
social sharing buttons (Correct answer)

Correct answer: social sharing buttons

'Social sharing buttons' can significantly generate more awareness of your site and its content. By making it easy for users to share articles, products, or pages directly to their social media profiles, these buttons amplify your content's reach. This increased visibility can lead to more traffic, engagement, and potentially more backlinks, as others discover and link to your valuable content.

Question 16: Includes a keyword or keyword phrase that exactly mirrors the keywords related to the page being linked to.

alternative text attributes
naked link anchor text
exact match anchor text (Correct answer)
partial match anchor text

Correct answer: exact match anchor text

'Exact match anchor text' is a type of anchor text that includes a keyword or keyword phrase that precisely mirrors the keywords related to the page being linked to. For example, if you're linking to a page about 'best running shoes,' the exact match anchor text would simply be 'best running shoes.' While powerful for SEO, overuse can appear manipulative and may be penalized by search engines.

Free Local SEO Reviews I Questions and Answers

Why do you think reviews are a "trust indicator"?