subject: Optimize Local SEO [print this page] Optimize Local SEO Optimize Local SEO
Each business will be on the front page of a search when someone is looking for local businesses. But, how can you maximize your chances of getting on the front page?
There are several ways to help optimize your SEO Local:
First, get listed with search engines. Getting listed by Google Maps will help tremendously. You must fill out an application, get verified, and then wait several weeks before your business will appear. Yahoo Local is another important list. You can do this without verifying your business and get listed faster. The more exposure you get in these countries, the more customers you will get.
Another way to optimize your SEO for you local area is to get listed in the yellow pages type directories. Yellow Book, Yellow Pages, Yelp, and CitySearch are examples of these types of directories. People use these as they used the Yellow Pages telephone book in the past. They need a service or a product and they see it. Your business will get more exposure when it listed on these sites.
You should also list your business for free local classifieds such as Craigslist, Backpage or USFree Ads. People look at these sites to find the service every day. These are very popular with Internet users and will get maximum exposure for little cost and effort.
Another way to get more exposure is to be reviewed. Ask your customers or your friends and family to review your business in different directories and online review sites. You can try to put a link to your business in different countries as a local Chamber of Commerce.
One of the most important thing you can do is to manage your business profile. Your profile contains the basics: business name, address, phone number, and description of the business. This is what information will appear when someone does a search. This information will appear in the pages of national data providers. You certainly want this information accurate and give a true description of your business.
If you have a web site, you can do some things to make it required more local friendly. You must have your address on every page of your site. Moreover, even if you have a free phone number, you must put your phone number local to any web site pages.
Creating a page on your site titles "location / directions, will help to make it friendly for local searches. Have a link to Google Maps and Yahoo Maps on your location / directions page. If your business serves the surrounding towns, list as many of them as you can in your site.
Local SEO has become more important since Google introduced Link Building . Also, the proliferation of netbooks and smartphones have grown important to get listed on top at the local level. If you have a business that is alive for local customers, learning how to get maximum exposure in search engines is vital for the health of your business.
