Local business SEO

So I've always wanted to do be able to do SEO for local websites (builders, restaurants etc.) but never found a good guide on what to do. I've heard that local SEO is simple if you know what your doing but I haven't got a clue!

Someone I know has a business that ranks number 1 in google for some terms but on much lower pages for other terms and I really want to help out and boost it up a bit.

Does anyone know of a good guide/resource that will point me in the right direction?

 

Kevin,

Doing SEO for local businesses will be very similar to SEO in general. Some of the differences might be that you take advantage of location specific business listing services, target localized keywords (i.e. widgets + city name), and your backlinking campaign may consist of targeting other local relevant businesses, bloggers, and community websites.

Perhaps you can find more ideas here,

http://www.searchenginejournal.com/the-definitive-guide-to-local-seo/47319/

Hope that helps,

Shawn

 

If you are just working for local market in any area, its better to try for Google Places First.

 

Claim your Google Places and Bing local listings and add the biz to all other local directories like yelp, yellopages, etc. Make sure the address and phone number is the same everywhere! Using these local directories as "citations" Google will raise your local rankings in a couple of weeks tops, probably to first page even!

 

im starting a similar operation so im interested in any tips beyond google places and local directories.

 

I wrote up some really detailed advice for others. Rather than repeat myself, I hope you don't mind me putting links here:

http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackhat-seo/white-hat-seo/503477-local-search-engine-optimization-how-do-best.html#post5095835

http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackhat-seo/white-hat-seo/500142-local-search-engine-optimization-backlinking-local-citations.html#post5097271

http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackhat-seo/black-hat-seo/512850-ranking-local-search-engine-optimization.html#post5095749

You should also Google "David Mihm Local Ranking Factors"

 

Thanks guys, lot of good info and I will definitely have a read of your links when I get some spare time today.

 

I found great list of local search listing but most of them are only available in US.

 

Good stuff, thanks.

 

1stly, I would like to suggest you the google place...then business listing or B2B listing.

 

i recommend google place.. its easy to rank in G places..

 

Do Below. Also, I hired a couple local SEO guys who "guarantee" placement (lol) and picked their brain for hours until I knew exactly what they did. Once I figured out I knew more than them, I experimented.

 

thanks, will read up on this

 

What if you don't have a business address to put in the google places?

 

The best one I recently came across is OMG Machines. This one leaves no stone unturned.

 

I am going to point you to one of the best (in my book) blueprints you can have if you want to get into local. In no way I'm promoting, or selling this product. Is from the creators of Magic Submitter. Check it out: http://www.mapsmarketingblueprint.com/mapsoffer/

Local works around a lot of citations, accounts, reviews, etc. This blueprint has it all and combine it with MS. You are gold.

 

Add Google Maps in your contact us page and don't forget to create few landing pages (location specific, with unique contents).

 

Great Addition & useful Info Magicbeanz

 

Anyone know any uk citations?

 

Try and get the name of your Google+ listing as close to the main keyword as possible.
Make sure you feature your address and phone number on the homepage of your site, at least in the footer.
Use your address as a keyword
Use your phone number as a keyword.
Use Yelp, Bing business page, Yahoo local listing (the free one), and lots of Business directories (I have a pretty current list if you want it)

I avoid: Restaurants, Hotels, Salons, and business that tend to get a lot of reviews and customer feedback - they are way too hard to control and are a huge PITA.
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