Local Search SEO Tips

[powforlife]

PM me your niche, I should have you covered.

I too would be interested in outsourcing this for my clients.

 

[littlejohn]

Thanks given.

@ OP. A couple questions.

• Is it okay to use a redirect phone number (like Vumber), rather than a direct line to the business?
• Is it okay to go back and change info once submitted, (like the photos, so I could optimize their filenames) or would this be a red flag move?

Thanks,
LittleJohn

 

[jellyfish]

For your first questions,its perfectly fine using a voip/redirect number.
as for changing details of your business listing,from my experience when you change information of your business like business name address it could cause a problem with google bot mergin information regarding ur business.
but i never had a problem with just pictures.

 

[powforlife]

1.) Yea you can use virtual numbers, you just have to make sure that your service provider connects in a way that is compatible with google verification calls. If you want pm me I can give you some companies that work well.
2.) It really depends on the industry, if it is a spam industry like florists, locksmiths, Plumbing etc. tread carefully. If you're in an industry that isn't impacted by all mean s update it just remember to ping the places URL

Thanks given.

@ OP. A couple questions.

• Is it okay to use a redirect phone number (like Vumber), rather than a direct line to the business?
• Is it okay to go back and change info once submitted, (like the photos, so I could optimize their filenames) or would this be a red flag move?

Thanks,
LittleJohn

 

[freeport2008]

I think the age of the citations is very important
I have optimized few sites over 1.5 year ago and did piratically nothing after that and they are holding strong in pretty sharp wedding niche.
If anyone is looking for quality citations in Chicago area, you're welcome to use my Chicago Business Directory http://chicago.smugnet.org
I'll give away free basic listings to first 5 BHW members. Only Chicago area business will be accepted though. PM me after you add your local business listing.

 

[b logic]

I read somewhere that for testing a market you could start off with a few different web 2.0 websites as your sites (different address, phone numbers, etc) and then when you see which one does the best, switch out the site for your "real" website.

Is that OK or would it hurt your listing to change the website once it starts ranking?

 

[dday162372]

How bout some more tips?

 

[powforlife]

Well here's a tip and an answer to a question.
I agree testing a market is a good idea, but using 2.0 sites is not a good idea, remember when doing manual directory submissions you must enter a url this helps in the connection of the directory and the places profile.... This creates your citation if you then change your primary url you could loose the citation forever in the go0gle shuffle. i have also found that the #1 citation is usually the home page of your site and sometimes a good portion of your citations can come from indexed pages on your primary site. In my head I ask why would you half ass something to do research, in my eyes the research you are doing at that point is inconclusive and incomplete. A domain costs $5-$10 per year and a virtual # is very inexpensive. Further, G0ogle doesn't react well to major changes in a places profile, I recomend being thorough with locals all the way to the bank....

I read somewhere that for testing a market you could start off with a few different web 2.0 websites as your sites (different address, phone numbers, etc) and then when you see which one does the best, switch out the site for your "real" website.

Is that OK or would it hurt your listing to change the website once it starts ranking?

 

[undermyhat]

Hi Powforlife:
My wife is a piano teacher and she offers lessons at home. She want the listing in g00gle places but she is not comfortable publishing our home address all over the internet. Is there a way around this?

 

[b logic]

I found a cool market that I thought about trying. 6 of the map listing are from huge national companies so I thought there's no chance I could rank. BUT the #1 site is a local company so I guess there's a chance. The main difference I can see is that the #1 local site has 44 reviews, while the national companies have about 15 on average.

Do you have any comments on this? Does the number of reviews allow you to beat bigger sites? Or is there something else that can allow you to beat bigger and long established sites/companies?

Can you give any tips about how to choose markets? What's too competitive? etc?

Thanks!

 

[graddis]

It doesn't matter who is number 1, if its a national or local company. You have to beat them out with quality citations, reviews and an optimized google places listings. Keep building and you will get in the 7 pack

 

[joe0074]

once we are in 7 box listing.
How can we keep our ranking in 7 box not being beat out by our competitors?
What do we have to do keep our position there?

Thanks,

 

[graddis]

The same thing with normal seo. If you sit idle your competitors will creep up. Keep getting citations and reviews. Just make sure to do it all white hat. you can fool g00gle and get into the 7 pack but try telling a client his listing was suspended. build slow, have all citations match (i use roboform), get reviews and you'll be there eventually

 

[joe0074]

Can you please tell me how we can get more citations?
Where do we have to go to get citations?
Sorry I am a newbie for google maps listing.

Thanks,

 

[teeniegenie]

Can you please tell me how we can get more citations?
Where do we have to go to get citations?
Sorry I am a newbie for google maps listing.

Thanks,

Search around this website...there are some great posts on this topic that will help you out.

 

[undermyhat]

Can you please tell me how we can get more citations?
Where do we have to go to get citations?
Sorry I am a newbie for google maps listing.

Thanks,

The best places for you to start, is to look at your competition and find out where their citations comes from, and just use them to get yours.

 

[intence]

anyway to make the 1-box show up for a search term where there usually isnt any map listings in the serps?

 

[b logic]

anyway to make the 1-box show up for a search term where there usually isnt any map listings in the serps?

I heard there's no way to make it show up. It's just whatever google decides to do...as usual

 

[NICHOLASM]

Update the mini blog in the top right of the places stat page , that will help you. The more it looks like you use the places account for business the better it is for you .

 

[masteraffmarket]

definately subbing to this tread. thanks and rep given