For the past two weeks, the SEO Tip of the week has been about how to set up your Google Places Listing in Google Maps. Once you have set up your place page, you are already on your way to ranking higher in the local listings. This is because local search experts say that claiming your page is the number one factor in the algorithm used by Google. Every year, local search expert David Mihm gathers some of the top practitioners in this field, and uses their expertise to compile a list of Local Search Ranking Factors. Their analysis is an overview of the top factors for ranking in the three big search engines: Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Below is an overview of the top 5.
Claiming your Google Place Page/Local Listing
Instructions for claiming your Google Place Page was discussed in this earlier blog post. Once you’ve claimed your Google Place Page, you should claim your business in Yahoo! and Bing. You can claim your Yahoo local listing here and claim your Bing local listing here.
Having Your Business Address in the City of Search
There are three ways to conduct local searches; either by typing in a keyword and location, like “restaurants San Francisco”, by typing in a keyword into the Google Maps search box, or by just typing a keyword into the Google Home Page Search box. The search engine will use your IP address to assume your location if you do not specify. If your business address is outside of the city limits, it may be difficult for you to rank for that location. Google bans using a PO Box for a business listing, so unfortunately that is not an option either. For the most part, Google will display the businesses located with the city’s boundaries. Exceptions exist for markets with extremely low competition, like for instance, a blacksmith.
Selecting the Proper Categories for your Business
Google allows you to choose up to five categories to list your business. Make sure to use all five, and include your most important keywords. At least one of your categories must be suggested by Google. The other four can be original.
Citations from Major Data Providers and Internet Yellow Page Portals
A citation is when another website mentions your business name and address, even if there is no link back to your site. Common places for citations are chamber of commerce pages, internet yellow pages, and business directories, to name a few. The best place to view your current citations (and your competition’s), is under the “more about this place” heading on a Google Place Page. The items under this heading are not complete, but can give you a great overview of your current citations. The more citations you can get, the better.
Customer Reviews
Google has stated that negative reviews will not affect rankings and this is logical since any of your competitors could leave negative reviews. Some experts believe that having lots of reviews, negative or positive will give you a boost in rankings. Either way, having lots of good reviews can help make up a potential customer’s mind.
