Ramp-Up Your Google Local Business Listing

Optimize so your local business listing on Google Local Business to stay on top for local search.

Google Local Business Listings are typically only show up when the user conducts a search for a business service followed by a city. A medium sized map from Google Maps appears alongside up to ten URL's with a phone number and review link by each.

Example:
Search Google for ‘virginia beach shoe repair’

Over the last year being listed on Google Maps and/or Google’s Local Business Listings is becoming even more important since they are being displayed more often in search results.

If you have a Google Local Listing here are some things you can do to gain ground over your online competition.

1. Photos - Add as many photos as you can and a company logo.

2. Multiple Reviews - It’s important that these be from real customers or clients. You can not have too many. Email or call your clients and ask them to post a review.

3. Use Keywords in Your Company Description - They offer an area where the business owner can describe what their company offers.

4. Use Keywords in Company Name - Don’t be deceptive by changing your company name, but if your keywords are used in other marketing collateral then it is applicable to your business listing. For example instead of ‘Wally’s Shoe Repair’ Wally’s Virginia Beach Shoe Repair Shop.

5. Add a Coupon – Google allows printable coupons to be added by your listing.

6. Create links to the listing – Add a link from your homepage to the listing and encourage current customers or website visitors to review your company.

7. Add Videos - If your company already has videos on Google Video, Truveo, Soap Box or YouTube you can upload these to your listing.

8. Add Multiple Locations - Create multiple Google Local Business listings as long as you have multiple physical business locations for your business. Many medical offices having locations in different cities fail to take advantage of this multiple listing feature. Even if you have multiple store or office locations in a single city you should still register these locations with Google Local.

If you don’t have a Google Local Listing, click on the link below to get started. We have also listed other free local listing links to other popular search engines and directories.

Google Local Listings
https://www.google.com/accounts

Verizon SuperPages
If you don’t have a SuperPages listing then you should. It’s free.
http://yellowpages.superpages.com/profiler/register_import.jsp?

Yahoo Local Listings
Want to get listed in Yahoo local? (Choose the basic listing)
http://listings.local.yahoo.com/

MSN Local Listings (Managed by Local Eze) Want to get listed in Yahoo local?
http://webapp.localeze.com/bizreg/add.aspx?SourceId=2

Ask.com Local Listings
(Click on 'Add a Business Record')Ask.com pulls most of their local results through Info-USA. Want to get listed in Ask.com local results?
http://dbupdate.infousa.com/dbupdate/startupdate?bas_request=A

Local.com
Want to get listed in Local.com www.local.com
http://advertise.local.com/

When you have the potential to greatly increase your business through some effort and no money, that's a winner.

About the Author
Rick Vidallon is President of Visionefx, a Web design company based in Virginia Beach, Va. They provide services to national companies as well as small to medium businesses throughout the United States. Rick can be reached at (757) 619-6456 or rick@visionefx.net.