ADVANCED SEO GUIDE
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Google Local Listing Guide
How to optimize your site for Google Local Listings (those first set of businesses listed before the organic results with pink A-ect. quote ballons). If you local business is not listed in Google local listings, either claim it if it exists or list it and follow the below rules for high ranking in Google local listings.
This is a completely different set of criteria than for organic ranking. Google uses the data in your local listings to rank against your competition. including the following considerations seperate from regular organic searches:
- Reviews of your local listing are like backlinks for local listings, the more you have, the higher your ranking, all other ranking criteria being equal. Just make sure that they are comming from seperate IP addresses or they will be highly discounted. I had converted written recommendation letters to online reviews (with the reommender's permission, of course). I used a dial up IPS and used various numbers within that service so that the reviews would come form diversified IP addresses.
- Put your strategic search term prominently in the title and description of your local listing.
- Lisings with addresses within the zip code of larger populated areas will rank more highly for those areas.
- Use the multi-media options to include pictures, and videos of your business.
- Rinse and repeat until you are topping the Google Local Listings.
