Take the Google Local fast-track to SEO success
In the second half of 2008, Google started including Google Local listings in their results when they believed that you were doing a commercial search (“pizza”) instead of a regular content search.
This week they stepped it up, including Google Local results for just about any search you do. This is a game changer.
Last year I started adding all of my clients to Google Local as a matter of course. It takes five minutes to sign up, you verify by phone in real-time, and you start showing up within days. Even more importantly, the Google Local block often shows up at the top of the results page, short-cutting the regular text results below.
Now that Google is showing local results for all searches, the opportunity is too rich to pass up. So don’t pass it up! Go to http://local.google.com and click on “Put Your Business on Google Maps”. When you do:
- Choose the right categories (Food & Dining, Web Designer, etc.)
- Put the keywords that you want to show up for in the Description. You can also put keywords in the “Details” section.
- Upload a photo – definitely do this, it will make your listing stand out in the results
- Upload a video if you have one
- Create a coupon like “10% off your initial consultation if you mention the web” – you can even add a code and an expiration date
Look at the search results I did for a local restaurant. Which restaurant would you choose?
