Benefits of and Tips for Local Business Listing
Aside from optimizing websites for organic results on search engines like Google, Yahoo! And MSN, small and medium-sized companies have the ability to compete for local business by targeting specific geographic locations.
To gain leverage and dominate ranking, Local Business Listing is an effective internet marketing tool for web businesses who want to benefit from targeting small territories rather than compete in highly saturated global markets.
Long-tail keywords are used for local listing. Long-tail keywords contain three to four words specific to a product and service and specific to a geographic location. Prospects who are keying in long-tail keywords into search engines are narrowing down their searches and clarifying what it is they are looking for. Since they are adding a specific location, ie. Connecticut, Ohio, or any other region, they know exactly what they want and where they want to get it.
Highly specific keywords tend to rank better than simple requests. Here’s an example:
When someone types into Google the keyphrase “Interior Painting”, they may be looking for the definition of the term or techniques for painting. However, when they type into Google “Interior Painting Connecticut”, they are likely to be looking for a company which offers this service.
If your company is listed under Local Business Listing for the keyphrase “interior Painting Connecticut”, end-users will see your website and phone number beside a map that shows your location. Take a look at this example:
In turn, people who will click on your listing will either fill out your contact form or call you directly. This will ensure you get high quality leads and better sales conversion.
Tips for Your Website
If end-users are looking for a company in a specific region, it’s important that you have your physical address listed within your website so that when end-users click on your local listing link they will be directed to your page. The best way to capture a lead from this method is to link it to your “contact us” page.
If you have various branches, and want to create traffic to each, create a local business listing for each physical location and then include that location in your website “contact us” page.
Securing Your Local Listing Position
In order to have a better chance of being listed in the local search result of a search engine, being compatible with Google algorithms is a necessary prerequisite. So make sure your website is embedded with a Google map. That way, when search engine spiders crawl your website, they can identify your geo-location from your map code.
In order for spiders to identify your phone number(s), make sure to use standard formatting as well. You can use: 203-886-7484 or (203)866-7484 to ensure Google compatibility and recognition.
Anna @ Toronto
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