Local Search Tactic #1 – Google Maps

Written by Jordan on June 25, 2009 - 0 Comments
Categories: Local Search Marketing

This post definitely had to be the first tactic listed as it is the most important. More and more consumers are finding local businesses online and it is essential that you are visible.

When you first start a business or want to move your business online, the very first thing you should do is visit the Google Local Business Center. If you do not have an account, create one. This will allow you to claim your business listing or create a new one. Google local search results are displaying the top ten business listings at the top of the front page of results. The coveted “10 Pack” gets the most exposure and traffic.

Features

If you are creating a new listing it will be verified either by phone immediately or by mail (usually 2-3 weeks). On your listing you can enter your business contact information, add links to your website, upload a photo, explain your services, describe your coverage areas, set business hours, create a coupon and much more. Google has just recently added analytics that will track impressions and actions for you. With Google having the 82% of search market share, not being on Google Maps is not an option for a local business owner.

How are the rankings determined?

Two words to describe search engine optimization are authority and relevance. The more relevant your business is to the keywords in the search, the more likely it will be indexed and shown. The more authoritative your business appears to be for a keyword the higher it will rank. For Google Maps you want to make sure your listing contains the keywords that you want to be found in, and that your website has authority in your category. Authority is accomplished by having great content, a well optimized website and lots of incoming links from relevant, high page rank websites (this is the simple explanation).

*BEWARE of trying to stuff too many keywords into your Local Business listing as this could cause it to be flagged. Just keep it natural and describe your services and coverage area. Do not try to spam coverage areas with false listings or write your own reviews.

So how do I get in the “10 Pack”?

1. Frequently updating your coupon and business information lets the Google know that your business is still running and relevant.

2. Adding video will increase your ranking and also provide a better user experience.

3. Reviews of your business are factored into the ranking algorithms. This is an opportunity for you to encourage satisfied customers to submit positive reviews to Google Maps. This factor will increase in importance in the future.

4. Citations are key. A citation is a mention of your business, usually including phone number and address on other websites. This is not a link, just your company infomation.

5. Make sure that your business information is uniform across the internet. If you have listed your business in several directories, make sure all of the information is the same. Make sure that you put in a clear call to action, as the exposure to traffic is useless without being able to convert it.

6. Continue building incoming links to your website.

update 9-7-09 filled out listing to 100% (10 photos, hours, video) and immediately shot to top of 10 pack

There are MANY other directories to add your listing to, but here are some that I have found to be very useful and will create authoritative backlinks to your site.

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