Some of you may have noticed the recent prominence of local search listings. i.e the list of ten local businesses that appears at the top of search results page for local search terms, for example ‘marketing sheffield’. From my experience, getting on these listings is dependent on the following factors:

Take control of your Google Local Business listing

Google gathers information from all sorts of local sources to put together its local search listings. However, if your listing isn’t where you want it to be then you have to take control. Enter your own details and verify your listing (I usually choose the faintly funny robotic phone call option to do this) – this will also give you the opportunity for the listing to link straight through to your website, whereas those that have been ‘discovered’ by Google will click through to the full details of the listing.

Use a central address

For results from queries based on a city, location is very important. You want to be in the centre. Of course, you can’t uproot your whole business to a new location for a search engine. But perhaps if you are a small mobile business, sole trader or freelancer and your location is not important to your everyday trade, then perhaps you could ask a friend if you can use their address for these purposes.

If not, then no matter, there’s other things you can do to try and make it into that vital top 10.

Embed a Google map with your location on your site

This is vital, whatever you location. An embedded API map verifies your location to Google and greatlyu increases your chances of appearing high in the listings.

Use keywords in your business name

If you are concentrating on the term ‘marketing sheffield’ then you want to have both these terms in your local business name, for example ‘Blackhole Marketing Agency Sheffield’.

Make a focused landing page

The URL you submit to Google Local Business does not have to be your homepage – you could design a focused landing page for the particular city you are concentrating on, and title the URL accordingly.

Choose your business areas wisely

Choose your products and services for the local results to fit into an overall SEO strategy.

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Google, Keywords, Search Engine Optimisation, seo tools