Get Your Local On At SMX West & Local Search Workshop In San Jose

In a little less than two weeks, SMX West will kick off. For those interested in local SEO, mobile search (40 percent local) and offline attribution (everyone should be) there are a number of main-conference sessions:

• Local Search AMA: A Roundtable Q&A With Top Local Experts
• Local Listings: Putting Your Business On The Virtual Map
• Beacons: Opportunities, Limitations & How Marketers Can Use Them Today
• Beyond Clicks: Online–To–Offline Tracking & Attribution

But for those who want to go further and deeper, sign up to attend the Local Search Advantage workshop on February 29. It features a roster of local search veterans on a diverse array of local topics — from SEO to social and video:

• Top 10 Local Site Mistakes & How to Avoid Them (Greg Gifford, DealOn)
• The Post-Google Survival Guide & Local SEO Update (Andrew Shotland, LocalSEOGuide)
• Local + Social: Like Peanut Butter & Chocolate (Will Scott, Search Influence)
• PPC Best Practices: Local & Mobile Edition (Mark Irvine, Wordstream)
• Building or Fixing Your Online Reputation (Chris Silver Smith, Argent Media)
• Driving Offline Leads via Search, Display & Video (John Busby, Marchex)
• Making & Socializing Videos to Drive Local Leads (Matt Siltala, Avalaunch Media)

All of these sessions will be tip-heavy and tactical. John Busby’s presentation also has some great data about the comparative performance of different channels (display, search, video) in driving offline conversations.

My biased view is that all marketers should be interested in these topics because they’re reflective of how most people research and buy: online to offline. In contrast to billions in e-commerce, the data argue that trillions of dollars in offline spending are now being impacted by the internet.

We’re in a transitional time, not just because of the shift to a mobile-first market but also because brands and agencies are gaining more visibility into consumers’ real world behaviors. Offline attribution is now a reality and will become increasingly mainstream. Very soon digital marketers will be optimizing campaigns not against clicks or engagement but against store visits and offline sales.

The Local Search Advantage workshop is the day before SMX starts. I would encourage all those doing local SEO or local+ mobile PPC to come.

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