The #LocalUp Advanced 2015 Agenda Is Here

Pigeons, Packs, & Paid: Google Local 2015 with Dr. Pete Meyers
In the past year, Google shook the local SEO world with the Pigeon update, rolled out an entirely new local pack, and has aggressively dabbled in local advertising. Dr. Pete covers the year in review, how it’s impacted the local landscape, and what to expect in 2015.

Dr. Pete Meyers is the Marketing Scientist for Moz, where he works with the marketing and data science teams on product research and data-driven content. He’s spent the past two years building research tools to monitor Google, including the MozCast project, and he curates the Google Algorithm History.

Local Battlegrounds – Tactics, Trenches, and Ghosts with Mike Blumenthal
Join Professor Maps and take a ride in the Way Back Whacky Machine to look at Google’s technologies, tactics, and play books used to create, shape, and dominate the local ecosystem in their image. Learn what’s relevant to marketing today and how these changes are shaping Google’s coming battles in the space.

If you’re in Local, then you know Mike Blumenthal, and here is your chance to learn from this pioneer in local SEO, whose years of industry research and documentation have earned him the fond and respectful nickname ‘Professor Maps.’ Mike’s blog has been the go-to spot for local SEOs since the early days of Google Maps. It’s safe to say that there are few people on the planet who know more about this area of marketing than Mike. He’s also the co-founder of GetFiveStars, an innovative review and testimonial software. Additionally, Mike loves biking, x-country skiing, and home cooking.

Going Local with Google with Jade Wang
Learn about local search with Google. We’ll chat about the potential of local search and discuss how business information gets on Google.

If you’ve gone to the Google and Your Business Forum for help (and, of course, you have!), then you know how quickly an answer from Google staffer Jade Wang can clear up even the toughest problems. She has been helping business owners get their information listed on Google since joining the team in 2012.

Getting Local Keyword Research and On-page Optimization Right with Mary Bowling
Local keyword data is often difficult to find, analyze, and prioritize. Get tips, tools, and processes for zeroing in on the best terms to target when optimizing your website and directory listings, and learn how and why to structure your website around them.

Mary Bowling’s been specializing in SEO and local search since 2003. She works as a consultant at Optimized!, is a partner at a small agency called Ignitor Digital, is a partner in Local U, and is also a trainer and writer for Search Engine News. Mary spends her days interacting directly with local business owners and understands holistic local needs.

Local Content + Scale + Creativity = Awesome with Mike Ramsey
If you are wondering who is crushing it with local content and how you can scale such efforts, then tune in as Mike Ramsey walks through ideas, examples, and lessons he has learned along the way.

Mike Ramsey is the president of Nifty Marketing with offices in Burley and Boise, Idaho. He is also a Partner at Local U and many other ventures. Mike has an awesome wife and three kids who put up with all his talk about search.

Review Acquisition Strategies That Work with Darren Shaw
Darren Shaw will walk you through multiple real-world examples of businesses that are killing it with review acquisition. He’ll detail exactly how they manage to get so many more reviews than their competitors and how you can use their methods to improve your own local search visibility.

Darren Shaw is the President and Founder of Whitespark, a company that builds software and provides services to help businesses with local search. He’s widely regarded in the local SEO community as an innovator, one whose years of experience working with massive local data sets have given him uncommon insights into the inner workings of the world of citation-building and local search marketing. Darren has been working on the web for over 16 years and loves everything about local SEO.

The Down-Low on LoMo (Local Mobile) SEO with Cindy Krum
Half of all local searches happen on mobile, and that stat is just growing! Map search results are great, but your mobile site has to be great too. Cindy Krum will review the best practices for making your local site look perfect to mobile users and crawlers alike. No mobile site? No problem as you’ll also get tips for how to make the most of mobile searches without one.

Cindy Krum is the CEO and Founder of MobileMoxie, LLC, a mobile marketing consultancy and host of the most cutting-edge online mobile marketing toolset available today. Cindy is the author of Mobile Marketing: Finding Your Customers No Matter Where They Are, published by Que Publishing.

Thriving in the Mobile Ecosystem with Aaron Weiche
A look into the opportunity of creating and growing the mobile experience between your customers and your brand: one strong enough to delight fingers, change minds, and win hearts.

Aaron Weiche is a digital marketing geek focused on web design, mobile, and search marketing. Aaron is the COO of Spyder Trap in Minneapolis, Local U faculty member, founding board member of MnSearch, and a Local Search Ranking Factors Contributor since 2010.

Content, Conversations, and Conversions with Will Scott
How local businesses, and the marketers who love them, can use social media to bring home the bacon.

Helping small businesses succeed online since 1994, Will Scott has led teams responsible for thousands of websites, hundreds of thousands of pages in online directories, and millions of visits from search. Today, Will leads nearly 100 professionals at Search Influence putting results first and helping customers successfully market online.

Segmentation Domination with Ed Reese
Learn how to gain powerful insight by creating creative custom segments in Google Analytics. This session shows several real-world examples in action and walks you through the brainstorming, implementation, and discovery process to utilize segmentation like never before.

Ed Reese leads a talented analytics and usability team at his firm Sixth Man Marketing, is a co-founder of Local U, and an adjunct professor of digital marketing at Gonzaga University. In his free time, he optimizes his foosball and disc golf technique and spends time with his wife and two boys.

Playing to Your Local Strengths with David Mihm
Historically, local search has been one of the most level playing fields on the web with smaller, nimbler businesses having an advantage as larger enterprises struggled to adapt and keep up. Today, companies of both sizes can benefit from tactics that the other simply can’t leverage. David will share some of the most valuable tactics that scale—and don’t scale—in a presentation packed with actionable takeaways, no matter what size business you work with.

David Mihm is one of the world’s leading practitioners of local search engine marketing. He has created and promoted search-friendly websites for clients of all sizes since the early 2000s. David co-founded GetListed.org, which he sold to Moz in November 2012. Since then, he’s served as our Director of Local Search Marketing, imparting his wisdom everywhere!

Don’t Just Show Up, Stand Out with Dana DiTomaso
Learn how to destroy your competitors with bringing personality to your marketing. Confront the challenges of making HIPPOs comfortable with unique voice, keep brand standards while injecting some fun, and stay in the forefront of your audience’s mind.

Whether at a conference, on the radio, or in a meeting, Dana DiTomaso likes to impart wisdom to help you turn a lot of marketing BS into real strategies to grow your business. After 10+ years and with a focus on local SMBs, she’s seen (almost) everything. In her spare time, Dana drinks tea and yells at the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Exposing the Non-Obvious Elements of Local Businesses That Dominate on the Web with Rand Fishkin
In some categories and geographies, a local small business wholly dominates the rankings and visibility across channels. What are the secrets to this success, and how can small businesses with remarkable products/services showcase their traits best online? In this presentation, Rand will dig deep into examples and highlight the recurring elements that help the best of the best stand out.

Rand Fishkin is the founder of Moz. Traveler, blogger, social media addict, feminist, and husband.

Reporting Q&A with Ed Reese and Dana DiTomaso
Need help with your reporting? Ed and Dana will make sure you’re on the right track and tracking the right things.

Google My Business Q&A with Jade Wang
Google My Business can be confusing, but Jade Wang is here to lend a hand. She’ll look over your specific problems and help you troubleshoot.

How to Troubleshoot All Things Local with Mike Blumenthal and Mary Bowling
No Local SEO problem can get by the combined powers of Mike and Mary. This dynamic duo will assist you in diving into your specific questions, problems, and concerns.

Google My Business Q&A with Jade Wang
Google My Business can be confusing, but Jade Wang is here to lend a hand. She’ll look over your specific problems and help you troubleshoot.

Citation Q&A with David Mihm and Darren Shaw
Getting the right citations for your business can be a powerful boost. David and Darren will show you how to wield citations correctly and creatively for your business.

Google My Business Q&A with Jade Wang
Google My Business can be confusing, but Jade Wang is here to lend a hand. She’ll look over your specific problems and help you troubleshoot.

Mobile Q&A with Aaron Weiche and Cindy Krum
Local and mobile go hand-in-hand, but mobile implementation, optimization, and perfection can be tricky. Aaron and Cindy will help guide you and your business.

Google My Business Q&A with Jade Wang
Google My Business can be confusing, but Jade Wang is here to lend a hand. She’ll look over your specific problems and help you troubleshoot.