Google has made many changes to how businesses get ranked in the past 6 months so if you are getting advice from blog posts before October 2010 about the important factors that help you get found on the Google Map, it is out of date and you may be mislead on what works and what doesn’t.

First let’s start with a video by Google product manager Jeremy Sussman explaining some of the new features implemented recently and the three primary factors that help you get ranked higher for local searches: relevance, prominence and distance. He also explains some of the new products – Google Tags and Boost for the advertiser and Google Hotpot (whose name is disappearing and replaced with Places) for the searcher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1ONMavPX2o

If you take the steps necessary to be found prominently in the Google local search results, you will also rank well on Yahoo and Bing.

8 Steps to Success

The goal of this effort is to build confidence with search engines that your business is legitimate. If you implement the following eight steps, you will be well on your way to better visibility.

• Pull out your list of the top keyword phrases that people use to find your type of business (you do have a list, right?). Without knowing how people search, you can’t possibly create an online presence that helps get you found. You will need this list handy to create your business listings that will direct people to your website.
• Ensure your website is all it can be – professional, easy to use and relevant to your ideal client.
• Update your website’s page titles and descriptions to include your location. Add your local phone number into the meta description. This will help searchers quickly identify your company as being local and will help them call you without looking for your phone number.
• See if you already have a business listing at least on Google Places, Yahoo Local and Bing Local by going to GetListed.org and type in your business name and zip code. It will show you if you have a listing and need to claim it or you don’t have a listing at all. GetListed.org has other sites they check such as Yelp, Best of the Web and Hot Frog.
• If your business is already listed in Google, Yahoo and Bing, claim your listing directly and create a consistent and complete business profile. You need to have control of these top properties through an account you create. Do not let someone else create these for you under their personal accounts! Include your main keyword phrase that you’ve optimized your website around in the description and all other fields where relevant.
• Use a service such as UniversalBusinessListing.org to submit your business profile to as many other search engines, directories and social sites as you can. The value of this service is that for a small annual fee, they will distribute your listing consistently to all the major search engines, directories and databases for you, saving you time without creating duplicate listings. Another option is Express Update, a free service that covers the top five search engines and major mobile and navigation applications.
• Create a testimonials page on your website to display client endorsements that you receive directly while also providing an option for clients to review your business on review sites. Citations and genuine, earned reviews are the method the search engines use to validate their local search engine results. Make a list of sites with a link to your business profile that your clients can use to provide a review as in the screenshot below. Point your happy clients to this page and request that they write a review for you on whichever site makes the most sense for them.

• Don’t forget to create your business page on LinkedIn and Facebook. Make them clear and focused, add links, products, services and information that builds your credibility such as a blog feed.

If your business is not getting visibility when someone is looking for a local business, try out the above 8 tips and let me know how it works for you.

What other useful tips have I missed in the quest for local online visibility?

©2012 Masterful Marketing. All Rights Reserved.

8 Step Process for Gaining Local Search Engine Visibility is an original post from Debra Murphy, Small Business Marketing Coach: Masterful Marketing - Marketing in the New Media World. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Debra on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.

Google Places Blended Results

After 3 months, the effects of this change has become very apparent. In some ways this change created new challenges for those of us who succeed in getting our client’s websites on the first page of Google’s organic search results. Prior to this update, those organic results would be very visible below the Google Map and associated businesses. Now, to be listed prominently, you need to create a quality Places page that provides greater information to those who are interested in what you have to offer and continue to work your website SEO for organic results. Those businesses that do both very well will reap the benefits of this change.

How to achieve prominence on the “Map”

There are a few important factors for ranking well in Google Places.

The number of citations (mentions of your business name and address) for your business on business directories, news blogs or a social networking sites

To Google, citations are a vote of confidence in your listing and those from authoritative sites, such as your local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau, carry more weight. Citations have a positive effect on your Google Places ranking and should be considered an important element of a local Search engine marketing campaign. However, your citations must be consistent and contain the same information. Use the same business name, address and telephone number across all. Having your business listed as ABC Plumbing and Heating on one site and ABC Plumbing for another could result in them being considered different businesses. Search for your company name and see where it shows up. If you can claim and edit the listing to make it consistent, do so.

The number of quality reviews for your company on Google other review sites

It is important that businesses get customers to provide reviews through review sites in order to move their local listing up in the results pages. After you have created listings for your company on all those that are relevant to your industry, provide links to these profiles via your website. Put these links on your testimonials page so when you ask a customer for a review and point them to that page, they see what others have said and will be encouraged to do the same. Make sure your reviews are spread out across different sites for the best effect so encourage your customers to write a review on their preferred site.

A well written, optimized Google Places page

After you claim your page, attend to the details to create a quality Google Places page. Review Google Place’s Quality Guidelines to ensure you stay within their criteria and stay visible.

1. Accurately provide your name, address and local phone number. Don’t put your phone number or town in your business name. Although there are still some listings out there with them in the names, shortly those may be banned or buried in the results.
2. Provide an email account on your own domain.
3. Use a local phone number, not an 800 number.
4. Use all five categories available starting with relevant standard categories that Google provides and then create others using your important keywords.
5. Display your address if at all possible. If you list a service area, keep your address visible. PO Boxes are not allowed.
6. Add links to the “Additional Details” area of your listing to give people the opportunity to contact you. Any page that has a contact form is a good candidate.

This is just an overview of what you need to do to create a quality online presence that helps your business stand out.  Once you have your online properties established, you need to work on getting reviews and keep your information up-to-date. What have I missed that is an important item for ranking well locally?

©2012 Masterful Marketing. All Rights Reserved.

Google Places – Best Practices for Local Search Engine Optimization is an original post from Debra Murphy, Small Business Marketing Coach: Masterful Marketing - Marketing in the New Media World. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Debra on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.

Most small business owners market their products and services to a specific geographic market and they most likely use a mix of local advertising, direct marketing, coupons and word of mouth marketing. Depending on your type of business, you may also use door hangers, flyers and site signs. These are all still relevant ways to get your name known in your geographic area.

But today’s consumer is using the Internet more often to search for and evaluate local businesses. Many consumers under 40 (and many of us over 40) never look at the Yellow Pages or telephone books anymore. Searching the Internet is much more convenient. According to Google, 73% of online activity is related to local content. And according to a study done by TMP Directional Marketing, not only is local search increasing, 61% of local searches result in purchases, still mostly offline.

What does this mean to your business?

It means you need:

• A quality web presence. People searching will form their first impression of your business by the quality of your web site.
• Customer testimonials that speak to the quality of the services or products you offer. These testimonials can be used not only on your web site but also on other sites that support reviews.
• Photos of your work, both the before and after images if possible. These can be used on your Web site and in the local search engines and directories where they offer that capability. 

And you also need to be sure you are listed in the local directories, and there a lot of them! I found a really good list of local directories and data suppliers on the Marketing Matador. Many of them are free and a few do have fees. However, the value of being listed in these directories is twofold:

• When you have a web site and you want to get inbound links that increase your ranking in the search engines, your local search profile is a good way to do it.
• When the consumer is searching for your business, even if your web site doesn’t come up, one of your listings may – resulting in them clicking through to your web site.

How to get started without getting overwhelmed?

• Create a profile that contains the following information: name, address, phone numbers (office and mobile if you want folks to know it), web site address, contact email, hours of operation if relevant, payment methods, description of your business, products, services, brands and specialties, certifications, company logo, and a half dozen photos of your work if relevant. Put the content in a document where you can cut and paste it as necessary and have your images available for uploading.
• Start with the big four: Google, Yahoo Local, MSN Local and Best of the Web. Go to the site getlisted.org and enter your business name. It will let you know if you are listed in the directory and whether anyone has claimed your listing. Claim your listings and update your profile with the information you gathered above.
• Next, register on a site called Universal Business Listings which for $30, allows you to create a profile and have it distributed to a long list of directories and data sources. Although they say they distribute to Google, Yahoo and MSN Live, I would make sure you take responsibility for those directly. Even if they do created the profiles for you, you should claim them and own the updates and edits. I just started using this service for my clients and I don’t have first hand experience on how their submissions work. But for the price they charge, it is certainly worth it. I also had a very good experience with them as I had an issue on the weekend and I emailed the only address I found and got an answer right away. They get points for customer service.
• Now look for niche directories. Most of the consumer services like plumbers, roofers and other contractor businesses will find a sites that are specific to their business. If they seem reputable, get listed there as well.
• Finally decide where you should pay for a listing. Some offer a flat annual or monthly fee for inclusion. Others are pay per lead. The choice you make is really up to your business, location and margins. I have seen good and bad results from these services so it really is an individual preference.

The goal is to get your business listed in as many places as you possibly can. It won’t cost you a lot of money, but it is time consuming to get listed in all the relevant directories. Take it one step at a time and go through the steps as listed. The more you can drive people to your web site, the more often they will call you.

©2012 Masterful Marketing. All Rights Reserved.

Is Your Business Listed in Local Search Results? is an original post from Debra Murphy, Small Business Marketing Coach: Masterful Marketing - Marketing in the New Media World. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Debra on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.