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The Importance of Google Local

Written by: Dan Goldstein

Article Overview: One of the most important, cost-effective, and easy ways to get exposure on Google is by taking advantage of Google Local (also known as Google Maps). This article will highlight some of the strategies to improve your Google Local results.

The Importance of Google Local

In an effort to perfect their users' experiences, Google is continuously improving and expanding upon the services that they offer. While it doesn't seem like long ago that the search engine giant merely offered a simple list of organic results to an inquiry, they exist in an incredibly fast-moving, ever-changing industry-an industry that just so happens to impact most, if not all, companies' marketing efforts.

As Google's search results evolve, businesses scramble to keep their websites at the top of that prized first page. From videos and images, to sponsored listings, it is not an easy (or cheap) endeavor to get a first page listing. And while it's important to maintain a presence throughout all of the different types of results, one of the most important, cost-effective, and easy ways to get exposure on Google is by taking advantage of Google Local (also known as Google Maps).

Having a Google Local listing has become extremely valuable to any size or type of business as consumers are beginning to turn to these results more and more often when making purchasing decisions. Google local listings provide the most basic, but important, information for a business, including customer reviews, phone, address, etc.

Claiming your local listing with Google is relatively painless. And while you can't guarantee your business's positioning on Google Local, there are many things you can do to ensure that you are helping your cause. Make sure that listing includes:

• The official business name (without ANY keyword stuffing!)
• Local phone number
• Contact e-mail address
• GIF or JPG Images with a 3:2 aspect ration

Also, encourage your clients to review your business on sites such as Yelp and CitySearch, as well as Google Local. Over the next year, it's expected that these local listings and review sites are going to become even more important as consumers assess the quality of services and products. And even if you don't take advantage of them, your competitors will.

Related Articles
  How can a Local Business get on the First Page of Google?
  ••••••> Using Local Search to Get Top 10 Rankings on Google and Yahoo
  How To Set Up And Use Local Google Search
  Rank Your Local Business Website Fast With Local Business listings
  11 Ways a Local Website Can be a Help for Local Businesses

Article Tags: business name, consumers, customer reviews, decisions, e mail address, endeavor, experiences, giant, google, google maps, important information, jpg images, li li, many things, marketing efforts, phone address, phone number, sponsored listings, ul, yelp



Related Forum Posts
Re: How can I promote my site? - I recently added my details to Google Places. Is that the same as a Google Local Business Listing?
Re: Google Local Tutorial - Free Online Advertising - You have done a good job on the tutorial and thanks a million for the information, I have never known about Google Local before. I will implement it immedaitely
Re: How can I promote my site? - [quote="smartcompanysoftware":1buq8jkk]I recently added my details to Google Places. Is that the same as a Google Local Business Listing?[/quote:1buq8jkk] Yes, they're the same. You add your business information so that you can be found on the web. You can engage with customers and much more. You just reminded me to add my business there as well. Thanks!
Re: Google Local Tutorial - Free Online Advertising - Hi GT, Thanks a lot for the referral. I have started signing up all my clients for Google Local. People are amazed that in two weeks they can have #1 listings for competitive local kewords. Tip: Don't stop by adding just one ad. As long as each page of your website is different and optimized for different keywords you should create multiple ad words for each page. Example: Type in "Minneapolis web development" in Google. You will notice we have two listings. One for our home page & one for our mission page. They are both optimized for "Minneapolis web development" so Google will approve both listings / ads. Jeff
Chain store hurdles - [quote:3v8nzz4s]Everyone I'm targeting are independent stores which helps me overcome one hurdle. [/quote:3v8nzz4s] What hurdle is that? I know the major stores like B&N, etc. like to deal with buyers and distributors, but I think they all cut some slack to "Local" authors, don't they? Every store I go into has its "Local Section," featuring local authors, as well as books about the locality. I wouldn't bypass them altogether. If you drive past one, why not go in and visit, talk to the manager, see what they say? [quote:3v8nzz4s]Bookstores want to order through Bowkers and I have their info and the ISBN (identification) numbers for my books. [/quote:3v8nzz4s] You mean the major chain ones do, right? Independent stores I think have no problem dealing directly with the publisher/author. But you want to get your money up front if possible in case they go out of business....as too many independents do these days.


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