Directory Listings: Are You Overlooking this Essential Digital Marketing Tactic?

Listings in online business directories are a surprisingly underutilized tool to promote small businesses. Online business directories are the new, digital version of the old, Yellow Pages. Nowadays, when people are searching for nearby businesses, they turn to search engines and directories rather than perusing through a 5-pound book of phone numbers.

According to BIA/Kelsey, despite millions of consumers who are searching for businesses in online directories each month, only 14 percent of businesses actually have claimed their listings. 

Why should you Claim your Business Listings in Online Directories?

 Stand Out and Bring in New Customers

 Considering BIA/Kelsey statistics, your business is bound to stand out from the competition—seeing that only 14 percent of businesses in your area have claimed directory listings means that you could stand out from 84 percent of businesses.

 To convince you even more, a recent survey reported that consumers visit businesses that have moved 44 percent of the time. So, if your listings are out of date, then you could be easily losing customers.

Protect Your Business Reputation

 Consumers expect listings in online directories to be accurate. In fact, 77 percent would prefer if listings would be updated weekly to reflect accurate contact information and product offerings.        

Consumers lose trust when they encounter business and contact information that turn out to be inaccurate—or the lack of business listings altogether. If you want to control your reputation online, having updated business listings is essential.

Improve Local SEO

Citations (business name, address and phone number) signal to search engines that the page is a relevant result for local queries. Online Business listings provide SEO benefits that can move your company website higher up in search engine results pages by creating citations.

If you have a business in Southern California, take advantage of these benefits by putting up a listing with DiamondBarBeat, a reliable online local directory that will take your business to the next level.

Contact us and we'll always do our best to give you a fast and thorough response.

*BREAKING NEWS...Teacher in Hacienda Heights Allegedly Had Sex With Student The Los Altos High School teacher allegedly had sex with a student at that school.

Special Victims Bureau detectives arrested a Los Altos High School teacher for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student at the high school.

David Park, 37, was arrested on February 23, 2015 at his residence, by Industry Sheriff’s station deputies and Special Victims Bureau detectives, after information, reported by school officials, led to an investigation.

The suspect, a resident of Chino Hills, had been a full time teacher at Los Altos High School since the fall of 2009. It was there that the suspect met the 15-year-old victim who was enrolled in his classroom.

An inappropriate intimate relationship developed where acts were committed inside the classroom, after class, and at the suspect’s home. The relationship spanned between the months of September 2014 to November 2014.

The suspect has also worked as a “walk-on” football coach in 2007/2008 at Ruben Ayala Chino Valley High School, in Chino, and at Western Christian High School in Upland.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of Oral Copulation, Lewd Act with a Child 15 years old and sexual battery; bail is set at $1 million.

The suspect is currently housed at Industry Sheriff’s Station and his next court date is Wednesday Feb. 25, at Pomona Superior Court

The detectives are seeking the help of the public to identify possible additional victims during the suspect’s tenure at the various schools.

*Courtesy of Diamond Bar Patch

Man Shot, Gravely Wounded Outside of Diamond Bar The shooting victim was found in an alley, near an apartment complex, suffering from several gunshot wounds, said Pomona police.

A man was found gravely wounded this weekend in an alley near an apartment complex in Pomona.

Paramedics were dispatched to 2474 Chanslor Street at 3:38 a.m., Saturday, according to a Los Angeles County Fire Department dispatcher.

The shooting victim was found in an alley, near an apartment complex, suffering from several gunshot wounds, said Pomona police Lt. Ronald McDonald.

The shooting victim was airlifted to an area hospital, McDonald said. There was no other immediate information.

In the aftermath, paramedics were dispatched back to the same location at 4:04 a.m. for a woman who was going into labor, the county fire dispatcher said.

*Courtesy of Diamond Bar Patch

Goodbye Diamond Bar Vons. Hello Haggen. A northwest grocery chain will take over more than 100 Southern California stores.

A small northwest grocery chain is about to become a big player on the national scene with this week’s acquisition of 146 Albertsons and Safeway stores, including your neighborhood Vons.

The acquisition is a bit of serendipity for Haggen, which was able to capitalize on the divestment process caused by the Federal Trade Commission’s review of the Albertsons-Safeway merger.

Theoretically, the acquisition will allow the chain to move into Southern California by inheriting the customer bases of existing grocery store’s in the community.

The change is expected to occur in the first half of 2015.

“We warmly welcome these new employees and stores into the Haggen family. The stores are well run and very successful, thanks to the dedicated store teams,” said John Clougher, Haggen CEO, Pacific Northwest. “We want to retain these existing teams while allowing our growing company to build on their past successes. We plan to adopt the best practices of our new stores to offer a superior shopping experience for our valued customers in all of our stores.”

*Courtesy of Diamond Bar Patch 

City Birthday Party - Saturday, April 11, 2015

The annual birthday party, held each April at Pantera Park,  is the culmination of an innovative partnership between the City, community organizations, school districts, law enforcement agencies, local businesses, and non-profit service agencies. Considered the City's largest annual event, the party celebrates the cultural diversity of the community and the red-white-and-blue "Spirit of Diamond Bar." The event features rides, games, food, entertainment, a car show, a business showcase, and birthday cake for everyone. CASH ONLY EVENT.

Attention non-profit service organizations!If you are seeking a fun way to raise money for your group, why not participate as a food vendor, game booth operator, carnival ride operator, or bring awareness to the community about your organization with an information booth? 

Calling all Entertainers! If you have a desire to preform on stage then this event is for you. Applications for entertainment are now being accepted for local youth and adults to preform on stage during the event. 

Car Show Join the fun by entering your car in the Diamond Bar Car Show! This event is in conjunction with the City Birthday Party. The City is also seeking Volunteer Judges, please call 909.839.7072 if you are interested in additional information. 

Outstanding Volunteer Awards
In conjunction with the birthday party, the City honors adults and youth for their good deeds or community service with a special award from the City Council. You may print and send in the nomination form to City Hall or complete an electronic version that is automatically forwarded to the staff person overseeing the award program. 

Event Volunteer Information              The City is looking for local high school students to help with the operation and clean up of the City Birthday Party.  You must be in high school and attend Diamond Bar or Diamond Ranch High School or live in Diamond Bar.  School identification or proof or residence will be required.  All volunteers must be wearing closed toed shoes to volunteer and check in at the Red canopy marked first aid and event information.  Volunteers are welcomed from 8am-7pm.

Event contact information:

• General Event Info: 909.839.7070
• Food booth, game booth, carnival ride booths, or a non-profit organization information booth, contact Andee Tarazon, Community Services Coordinator or call 909.839.7067.
• Car Show: Contact Crystal Knox, Community Services Coordinator or call 909.839.7072.
• Business Showcase: Contact the Regional Chamber of Commerce - San Gabriel Valley at 626.810.8473.

Man Barricades Himself in Chino Home After Pursuit Involving Stolen Vehicle: Police

A standoff involving a man who barricaded himself inside a residence in Chino following a police pursuit ended Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The incident began in Ontario when officers tried to conduct a traffic stop on a possible DUI driver, according to Officer George Ramirez of the Ontario Police Department.

“It was later determined the vehicle was driving was stolen,” Ramirez said, adding the man had a prior warrant for a stolen vehicle.

The chase ended at the man’s Chino residence, and he became involved in a standoff with police, according to Ramirez.

It was not immediately known if the man was armed.

As of 5 a.m., police had been attempting to talk with him and resolve the incident peacefully, he said.

Barricades had been set up in the area of 5th and 6th streets and C and B streets while SWAT officers attempted to coax the man out.

He eventually surrendered to police.

The suspect — identified by police as Robert Correa — faced a number of charges, including possession of a stolen vehicle and felony evading, Ramirez had said before the standoff came to a conclusion.

American Idol’ contestant Adanna Duru visits Walnut Teen Center

Walnut teens made it very clear that they have their own “American Idol.” The middle-schoolers packed the Teen Center on Tuesday to talk to contestant Adanna Duru.

The 18-year-old Diamond Bar resident wowed the celebrity judges with her rendition of “You And I” by Lady Gaga. The trio said “yes” to the young woman, who is in the advanced cutthroat competition, which aired Wednesday. She also will be in next week’s show.

“Good job, baby. You’re what we call the full package,” cooed judge Jennifer Lopez.

“I thought you sounded great ... you hit every great part of your voice, which sounds like all of it,” agreed judge Keith Urban.

Duru said she even got a Tweet from Lady Gaga saying, “You killed it!”

The 2014 Walnut High grad took time out of her busy schedule to talk to the local teens. Duru is studying at UC Riverside.

Many remembered Duru competing in season three of “The Voice.” She was a sophomore at the time.

“I just wanted to be a singer. I didn’t know what type of music I wanted to make,” Duru recalled. “Since then, I’ve learned so much and being on the show now I know everything I want to do. It’s been so fun so far.”

The rising star reminisced about going to Suzanne Middle School just down the road in Walnut. There she joined the casts of “Willy Wonka” and “Alice in Wonderland.”

“It’s strange, but I loved middle school. I actually liked it better than high school,” she said.

Duru talked about her love for singing, how she always loved to perform.

“My brothers got tired of me singing and would tell me to shut up!” Duru said with a huge grin.

But her mother “was always her biggest supporter,” always believing her “baby girl” would become a star. In fact, Duru wouldn’t have even auditioned for “American Idol” in September if her mother hadn’t insisted.

*Courtesy of SGV Trubine

Suspect Steals Car From Walnut, Caught After Chase, Crash. The chase lasted for a mile before there was a crash.

A 2014 Hyundai Elantra that was reported stolen from Walnut was spotted by a Claremont police officer Tuesday, sparking a chase and resulting in a crash and arrest, officials said.

Guadalupe Alfonso Cubias Jr, 28, of Pomona was booked into the county jail on suspicion of grand theft auto; felony evading police, possession of methamphetamine, resisting arrest; having a no-bail felony warrant out for grand theft auto and a second no-bail warrant out for petty theft with a prior.

The chase began near San Jose Avenue and Mountain Avenue, in Claremont, police said.

As the officer initiated a traffic stop, the driver immediately drove away from the officer and a chase ensued.

After about a mile, the driver lost control of the stolen vehicle at the intersection of San Jose Avenue and Indian Hill Boulevard in Claremont, crashing into a stopped vehicle at the intersection.

The stolen vehicle became disabled and the driver and his passenger both ran off but the driver was caught; his passenger was not.

There were no injuries in the crash, police said.

Cubias is currently on mandatory supervision for a burglary conviction through Los Angeles County.

He is set for arraignment Thursday at the Pomona Superior Court.

*Courtesy of Diamond-Walnut Patch 

Scavenger Hunt Contest 

Win a $25 Gift Certificate to any business listed on the Diamond Bar Community Savings Card page or have your business "Featured" on DiamondBarBeat.com for 6 months.  

 

 

Rules for Contest 

*MUST BE 18 YRS. OR OLDER TO PARTICIPATE!!! 

 

Hidden somewhere in the pages of DiamonBarBeat.com is ten green $ signs. Find all ten, and tell me where on the site you found them. (i.e. what page, and where on page?) All correct entries will be entered into a drawing. One entry per person please! Contest ends, March 31, 2015 at 9 PM PST. Winner will be announced April 1, 2015 on contest page. Please send all entries with name and email address to: info@diamondbarbeat.com. 

BENEFITS OF USING A LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Benefits of using a Local Online Business Directory

Not too long ago, we relied on the good old telephone book to locate a particular company or service. Fortunately, the internet has revolutionized how consumers and businesses connect through online directories, making accessibility simple, fast and reliable for both users.

So why should you consider having your business listed in a local online business directory?

1.     Larger Demographic Reach

More and more consumers are turning to the Internet for their search and buying needs. According to Pew Research Center findings, 87 percent of Americans are using the Internet in 2014. 

An online business directory will easily tap your business into the masses because of its precise, quick and convenient nature which makes it the preferred method of locating businesses by consumers worldwide. Nearly anyone, anywhere – from home, or work, at school, or even via a mobile phone can be able to find your business in real-time.

2.    Search Engine Optimization Benefits

An online business directory listing is bound to increase your website’s exposure. Potential customers are highly likely to click on your listing’s website link to find out more information about your products or services, which in turn will improve your rankings in search engines. It will also make it easier for you to get indexed with the major search engines who crawl listings to determine relevance and ranking.

3.   Competitive Advantage 

The increased exposure that comes with being listed in an online business directory will help you to gain an edge against your competition. Soon, your company’s popularity will increase, new business opportunities will arise and, consequently, your profits shall increase as well.

4.  Increases credibility

Your Business directory listing also adds legitimacy to your website. Consumers are generally slow in trusting sites displayed on results pages from random internet searches, however, when someone uses a directory, their perception of the listed businesses is that they are professional and recommended.

5.   Inexpensive Advertising

Consider the cost of a business directory listing in comparison to other forms of advertising and you’ll be most likely come to the conclusion that it’s quite cheap. Apart from value for money, you also have the added advantage of making changes to your listing as often as necessary, as opposed to print media ads that often contain wrong or out-dated information.

Clearly, it’s imperative to utilize the benefits of listing your website with a local online business directory.

If you're based in Southern California - why not advertise on Diamondbarbeat.com and watch your business soar to new heights.

HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY

Every February 14, across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint, and where did these traditions come from? Find out about the history of this centuries-old holiday, from ancient Roman rituals to the customs of Victorian England.

THE LEGEND OF ST. VALENTINE

The history of Valentine’s Day–and the story of its patron saint–is shrouded in mystery. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?

Did You Know?

Approximately 150 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl–possibly his jailor’s daughter–who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and–most importantly–romantic figure. By the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France.

ORIGINS OF VALENTINE’S DAY: A PAGAN FESTIVAL IN FEBRUARY

While some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial–which probably occurred around A.D. 270–others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat’s hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city’s bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage.

VALENTINE’S DAY: A DAY OF ROMANCE

Lupercalia survived the initial rise of Christianity and but was outlawed—as it was deemed “un-Christian”–at the end of the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day. It was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with love. During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of Valentine’s Day should be a day for romance.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, though written Valentine’s didn’t begin to appear until after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at theBattle of Agincourt. (The greeting is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.) Several years later, it is believed that KingHenry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

TYPICAL VALENTINE’S DAY GREETINGS

In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one’s feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine’s Day greetings.

Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as “scrap.” Today, according to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! 

Robbery Suspect Stabs Victim - The victim was stabbed in the stomach during a robbery.

A person was stabbed in the abdomen during a robbery in Pomona Wednesday and was hospitalized in critical but stable condition, authorities said.

The robbery occurred shortly after 8 p.m. at Monterey and Park avenues. The suspect, described only as a “light” skin male teenager, fled and has not been found.

The victim was flown to a trauma center by air ambulance.

Anyone with information on the robbery should call Pomona police at (909) 620-2085.

*Courtesy of Diamond-Walnut Patch

Attempted Murder Suspect Arrested in Stabbing. The woman remained in critical condition.

Police in Pomona arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with a stabbing that left a woman in critical condition.

Willy Ortega Medina was arrested at 7 p.m. Saturday without incident, according to a news statement from the Pomona Police Department.

Police had no age or city of residence for Medina.

He was wanted in connection with a stabbing that occurred at 9 p.m. on Jan. 29 in the 200 block of North Main Street where officers found a woman suffering from two stab wounds to the upper torso, according to the news statement.

“Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit worked diligently to obtain investigative leads and ultimately identified Willy Ortega Medina as the suspect,” the statement said. There was no other immediate information.

*Information courtesy of Diamond-Walnut Patch.

Alleged Serial Walnut Toilet Torcher Jailed

A 42-year-old transient from West Covina was behind bars Friday night, suspected of setting a number of fires in restaurant restrooms in the Walnut, Rowland Heights area.

The investigation began Jan. 29, when detectives were called to investigate two fires that had been set -- one at L&L Hawaiian BBQ, the other at Office Depot, officials said.

Then on Tuesday, Feb, 2, a third restroom fire broke out at a McDonald’s restaurant.

Detectives gathered evidence and interviewed witnesses; meanwhile Arson/Explosives Detail detectives briefed Walnut station deputies and detectives and provided them with a suspect description and surveillance photos from the various arson fires, officials said.

That afternoon, another arson fire was reported in the bathroom of a Del Taco in Walnut and later, a third at the Tea House in Walnut.

Detectives and deputies determined the fires were set by the same person and acquired surveillance images. a license plate number and a name, officials said.

AED detectives were able to quickly match the suspect’s photo to the suspect depicted in the surveillance photos and provided the information to patrol deputies, who saturated the area, officials said.

Within an hour, patrol deputies found the suspect vehicle -- and a short pursuit of the vehicle and its driver ensued.

The suspect was cornered in a Rowland Heights parking lot where he was detained and taken to the Walnut station for questioning.

The suspect allegedly admitted to being present at the scene of all the fires; however, he denied setting any of the fires.

Detectives helping deputies with the collection of evidence and documentation of the fire scenes recovered evidence in the suspect’s vehicle linking him to the fires, officials said.

Lin remained behind bars in lieu of $250,000 bail, pending a preliminary hearing Feb. 19.

Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Arson/Explosives Detail at (323) 881-7500.

Information can be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus the tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

Information courtesy of Diamond Bar - Walnut Patch. 

Welcome

Welcome to DiamondBarBeat.com, the premier business directory and community portal in Diamond Bar, CA!  In addition to the most up to date and accurate business directory in town, we also make it interactive with our"Featured Businesses".  Visit their Business Showcase page to get more information, print coupons, browse their marketplace items, and more.  

 

DiamondBarBeat.com puts the average business directory to shame by allowing businesses to update their coupons and items instantly, making it the most current and interactive directory on the internet today! 

DiamondBarBeat.com gives the community and business the place to come together for commerce, entertainment, shopping, information, knowledge and much more.

Check back often to my blog as we will be constantly be updating with informative information about things happening, in and around the Diamond Bar area! 

If you have a blog or information that you would like to share on Diamond Bar Beat, please hit me up at info@diamondbarbeat.com!

Cheers ~