subject: Key Facts About Local Seo [print this page] One of the simplest things you can do to make the most out of local searches is to focus on getting listed with the big boys of the industry. We're talking about Google Maps and Yahoo! Local. These are the two biggest in the industry, so listing with them should be your first priority before you move on to the next step.
The reason is that if you list with these sites, the search engines and human searchers will always know where to find you and your job will be simple. Getting listed in Google Maps isn't that difficult if you take the right steps. You simply fill out a tiny form and then they'll either use your phone or email to have you verify your identity. Once you have verified everything, you'll have to wait for four to six weeks before you can see your site in the local search listings. You should expect to find the same with Yahoo!, except you don't have to verify anything with them. With Yahoo!, you can make your listing look anyway you want.
Yahoo! seems to approve you much quicker than Google, which is a good thing. Don't ever forget that technique, as that can take you further than any other tip you'll learn in reaching out to those you're trying to target.
Different locations of your business should have separate landing pages. When it comes to a local site, it won't help you to have multiple listings for one location, but if you have more than one location, you can target each one. The crucial point is that each separate location must have its own unique landing page that is obviously about the business in that specific place. It's not a good SEO practice, however, to send local traffic for several different locations to one home page or landing page. You don't want your target audience to get confused in any way, which is why having a dedicated landing page will take you a long way. When it comes to SEO, little details like this can mean a lot.
You will also want to make sure every page your site has lists your address. The search engines seem to like this and you'll rank higher because of it. What should you put in your address? Every page your site has should include your business's address, phone number as well as zip code. The search engines will then immediately know that you're targeting the local searches.
These are a few effective SEO practices that can help you rank well in the local search engine listings for more traffic and business.
