If you want better search engine results (and more clicks, and
more business), and you haven't paid attention to "Google Places,"
you need to do so right away.
Why You Need to Claim Your Spot on Google Places
* Google has stated that one out of five searches on Google is related
to location. That translates to 2.6 billion "local" searches a month,
and that number is increasing 50% per year. (Yes, that's
"Billion"-with a "B.")
* If you're a family law or divorce attorney in Irvine, CA for
example, you want to show up when someone does a Google search for
"divorce attorney orange county," or some variant of that - which
happened over 56,000 times last month. Maybe your niche or location can't boast
that kind of volume, but when you get your Places page set up and positioned
correctly, it can still have a dramatic effect.
* A good Google Places listÃng can provide a valuable bump in your
search engine ranking and in your ability to reach and interact with prospects
and customers. You can even post real-time updates to your Places page to
promote a sale or seminar or other event, put up a coupon, or communicate
anything else.
* Google Places has become so important that it has become a marketing
niche all on its own, with "local marketing SEO" consultants that do
nothing but help businesses use it properly.
Now, that you know why you need to be on Google Places - how can you claim your
spot so you can experience improved search engine results and more website
traffic?
Claiming Your Google Places Page
If you haven't already claimed your places page, simply go to Google.com/places
and work your way through the process, after reading the 7 tips below. If you
don't have a Google account, you'll have to create one, but it's easy, and
free. For a detailed, step-by-step video guide to the proper set up of your
Places page, you can go to: www.honestwebsitemarketing.com
7 Tips to Help You Get Your Google Places & Other Local
Search Directories' Listing Found - Plus Get More Clicks
1. Get Consistent in How You List Your Address and Phone Number
When Google crawls the web, and your website, it can read "123 Main
Street" as something different than "123 Main St." It will even
see "123 Main St." as something different than "123 Main
St."
Same thing with phone numbers. "(714) 555-5555" will be
seen as being different than "714-555-5555," which is different than
"(714) 555 5555."
2. Use a Local Phone Number
If you have an 800 number, or other toll-free number, show your local number as
your primary phone, and show the toll-free number as an additional one.
3. Get Consistent in How You List Your Company Name
If your company name is "Honest Website Marketing" (which we hope it
isn't since that's our name) don't show "Honest Website Marketing" in
one place, then in another place put "Honest Website Marketing, LLC."
Just like with addresses and phone numbers, the search engines may think those
are two different companies.
So, look at your website, and be sure you're consistent
throughout your site. Then, do it the same way on your "Places" page,
and your "YELP" page, and your Chamber of Commerce listing, and on
Yellowpages.com and the other hundred local directories you can get yourself
listed in.
4. Fill in Your Website's URL
This may seem obvious, but people miss it all the time. And if your site shows
as www.yoursite.com/, don't list it in
your Places page as www.yoursite.com .
That tiny difference can be a problem.
5. Post Reviews
Posting reviews from happy customers is one of the most powerful things you can
do to get your "Places" page ranked well. Encourage your customers to
find your Places page and then write a review. Reviews on your Places page are
particularly important in pushing it to the top of the search results, which
gets you more clicks. Plus, it helps you build credibility so you get more
clicks to your website.
6. Get Citations
I do not mean the ones you get from the Highway Patrol. But, I do mean the ones
you get by getting listed in other places and directorÃes, such as
Superpages.com, Yelp, Citysearch, your Chamber of Commerce listing, and the
other fifty or a hundred directory-type places you ought to get yourself listed
in. Every time you get listed some place and get a citation, you beef up your
importance in Google's eyes, which helps you gain higher search engine rankings
7. Post Photographs, or Better Yet, Videos, or Even Better, Both
Pictures and videos are appealing to your visitors and Google loves them. So
take full advantage of the ability to post them on your Places page. It's just
as important there as it is on your website itself.
These are only a few of the things you can to enhance the effectiveness of your
Places page.
These 7 can be done by anyone, even people without a lot of technical
knowledge. Of course, you can outsource the task to a website marketing pro who
specializes in local search marketing as the expert will save you time.
Feel free to contact us with any questions, or if you would like to discuss
having us help you.
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About The Author
Local Search Marketing Expert Scott Harvey works with small-to- medium size
local brick-and-mortar business owners who want to improve their search engine
results so they can get more local website traffic and sales. Now, because he
wants you to capture more clicks, he is offering a 69-page, step-by-step guide
to better website performance and he's giving it to you for free. Grab his
"Make The Phone Ring" ebook now at: www.honestwebsitemarketing.com
Sources; SiteProNews, Wed 8/24/2011
