By DAVID BERTOLA
dbertola@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1621

At a Nov. 1 seminar in Ellicottville, business leaders can learn how to get their company's name found by those looking online for goods or services.

GetListed.org will hold two four-hour "Local University" seminars - identical morning and afternoon sessions - Nov. 1 at Holiday Valley Resort. This will be the 11th Local University event that GetListed.org has hosted across the nation since February 2010.

"Local search targets a business looking to market itself through local Web searches," said Michael Blumenthal, an Olean-based Web design and search consultant. "The course will show local businesses how to get found by Internet users, both local and worldwide. There will be a focus on the tools and engines used in local discovery."

The seminars are designed to help Western New York businesses navigate the possibilities for marketing on the Web, with an emphasis on local discovery.

Blumenthal described local search as a specific area of marketing where people are looking for products or services in local markets.

"It's particularly relevant to the mobile boom, where you have a mobile device and are looking for something," he said. "But search engines blend in national and local sites."

With this in mind, Blumenthal said he will address why Google delivers specific results, how to leverage it, deal with any problems and related issues.

Google, Community Bank N.A., Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency, Olean Area Federal Credit Union, MetroWNY and Holiday Valley are sponsoring the event. Several area chambers of commerce have partnered with event organizers to promote it to their members.

Besides Blumenthal, presenters include:

• GetListed.org founder David Mihm, a Portland, Ore.-based search engine consultant.

• Mary Bowling, a search engine specialist and corporate trainer.

• Matt McGee, executive news editor for Search Engine Land and an independent online consultant specializing in small businesses

• Ed Reese, a Spokane, Wash.-based Internet marketing consultant specializing in organic SEO, local search and analytics.

• Cecilia Stewart of Google Places. She will discuss how to use Google's local products to acquire new customers, while engaging and retaining existing ones.

Blumenthal said rather than tap Western New York search engine experts, he said:   "There's something to be said about bringing in thought leaders, who are at the top of the field in local search."

By bringing the experts to Ellicottville, Blumenthal said, they can talk about businesses' current and local approaches to using Internet marketing to grow their operations.

"We'll show free tools, big strategy ideas and specific techniques so they can develop a plan themselves and how to make the right choice when looking to hire someone to help," he said.

Registration for the $129 course is available at getlisted.org/wny. Space is limited to 100 per session.

He stressed that "as a purely educational event, no sales pitches will be made" during the seminar.

In addition, free website reviews for attendees will take place in an adjacent room at the resort from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and from 1:30-6 p.m. Slots are available on a first-come, first-served basis in 15-minute intervals.

For a consultation, email localu@getlisted.org with a preferred time.

Ten percent of profits from the event will be donated to a Western New York charity.