Improve your ranking on google local search

Posted by Des on 29 January 2011

As search engines are becoming better at local search results, there is a golden opportunity for small businesses to get found online for their products and / or services. By implementing a few simple changes to your website, and spending an hour or so registering your business with local search providers you should be able to generate a reasonable return for your time invested. In this blog post I concentrate on Google, as they have the largest marketshare here in Ireland. Here I will outline 3 simple steps which will help your website get ranked in local search results. The first thing you will need is a Google Account, if you use Gmail or other Google tools you will already have a google account, if not go to to https://www.google.com/accounts/  and follow the instruction to create a new account. It should take no more than five minutes to complete.

1. Geotargeting with Google Webmaster Tools
2. Google Places
3. Contact Details on your Website

 Geotargeting with Google Webmaster Tools

Once you have created your Google account and signed in, you can then register your website with Google’s Webmaster Tools. On the Webmaster Tools home page, click on "add a site button".

Once you have added the URL of your website, you will need to prove to Google that your are the owner of the website. You must verify ownership using any one of the following methods.

1. Add a DNS record to your domain’s configuration
2. Add a meta tag to your site’s home page
3. Upload a HTML file to your server
4. Link to your Google Analytics account

I normally use either method number 2 or 3. Method number 2 is probably the simplest for a blog or small website. Once you have verified ownership (you cannot proceed otherwise), click on the website for the webmaster tools home page. From the dashboard menu on the left hand side select "Site Configuration > Settings". In the section "Geographic Targeting", select the country you wish to target from the dropdown list. Save. Now Google knows which country you are most interested in targeting with your website. Here is a comprehensive article on how to setup Google Webmaster Tools

 Google Places

Google Places (formerly known as Local Business Center) is a business listing service that enables a business to provide additional information about their location (Google maps), goods and services they provide. Google then incorporates this information into local search results, highlighting reviews (from both Google Places and third party websites and adding a marker on the Google map included in the results. Quite often Google Places is given priority position in the local search results.

To set-up your business on Google Places, first login to your Google Account then goto the URL http://places.google.com/business. Adding your business is pretty straight forward: just complete the forms supplying your business location information, contact details, information about goods and services supplied. Please ensure that Google correctly marks your business location on the map. If not you can manually adjust the marker. Once you have completed the set up process you will be required to verify the information by either phone or mail. Once completed your business will be included in local search results within a matter of hours. Having good reviews about your company will really help Google in deciding that you are running a credible business. Avoid the temptation of creating your own reviews, it will probably only harm your ranking.

 

 Contact Details on your Website

The contact page on your website should contain the address and phone number for the location you wish to be ranked under for local search. This information should NOT be in an image file (JPEG,GIF, etc), as Google and other search engines will not be able to read it. It is a good idea to include your landline telephone with area code, as Google will use this to cross-reference your address. Mobile phone numbers and PO boxes should be avoided. Also it is a good idea to include a paragraph outlining the location or areas you are offering your services and products in.

The footer or header of each page on your website should include your business address. This will associate your address directly with your product and send a good signal to the search engine.

There are several recognised standard for marking up contact information. While there is little evidence supporting there inclusion will improve your search ranking. However this may change in the furture as mobile phone and GPS navigation system merge – And providing exact longitude and latitude co-ordinates may well enhance your local ranking.

The must popular geotag formats are

• Geo Microformat
• RDF
• Geo Tag Meta Data Format
• ICBM Meta Tag