Google Local Business Listings… How to rank highly

What is a Google Local Business
Listing?

Google Business Listings is basically Google’s version of the yellow pages. These listings appear on the top left hand side of Google search results, typically when a user types a service followed by place or city name. The image below shows the search results for the search phrase “dry cleaners york”. The search results page lists Local Business results at the top of the page alongside a map with a link and telephone number beside up to ten listings. Below that the regular search results are displayed.

How to add your business to Google Local Business Listings

It’s quick, easy and best of all completely free! to add your business to the Local Business index. Simply go to www.google.co.uk/lbc login with a Google Account if you already have one or alternatively sign up for one. Then all you have to do is submit your business details and your business will be added to the Google Local Business directory. With careful optimisation of the listing you can help yourself to rank highly in the local business results, gaining a valuable top spot on the search result pages.

How to rank highly in Google Local Business Listings…

It appears the rank of your local business listing is determined by the value and obviously relevance of your business listing page. Google gives the top spots to those feeding the search engine’s ever increasing need for content. Top tips for ranking highly:

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. You can not have too many. Don’t fake them either, it’s easy to see. It’s quite likely the number of quality review will be the most important factor in how you rank compared to local competitors. Reviews show Google your business is active and lots of reviews more than likely means your business is an authority within it’s field.
3. Use Keywords in Company Description Keep your company description rich with your business related keywords.
4. Use Keywords in Company Name Don’t be deceptive by changing your company name, but if your keywords are in the extended business name or LLC, make sure this is the name in which you register.
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 YouTube you can place them right there on the page.

If you manage to incorporate all of the the above you should be able to guarantee yourself a top ten place in the local business search results dependant on the level of competition from competitors.

To try and stay one step ahead of your rivals it would be advisable to continually update and add to the listing frequently, and continue to ask clients if they wouldn’t mind writing a quick review of your services. It’s useful to note it also seems to fetch reviews from various “Review” websites such as TripAdvisor, Qype and more, so encouraging customers to review on those also will surely help.

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