How Important Are Your Online Business Listings? Turns Out, More Important Than Ever.

Melih Oztalay | Local Listing Services | @smartfinds

Customers Decide To Business Based On Search Results

The recent search results change at Google not only displays the regular organic search results, but if there are local business listings that are relevant to the requested search they are showing up above fold and tend show more results than the organic website results.

The local business listings results are also interesting in that they show quite a bit of information to a local customer or consumer.  Of course the basic information like business name, address, phone number, telephone number, website link and location on the map is pretty standard.  However, the number of customer reviews and the average star rating is prominent to the person searching.  Translated this means the local customer or consumer are very quickly see if they want to even click on your local business listing or call you.

Optimization Becomes Important

Businesses now have two marketing tools that need optimization:  their website and their local business listing.  Since the local business listing is effectively the interactive yellow pages of the 21st century, businesses need to stop passively watching and actively engaging with their local business listing.

The process requires that you first claim your local business listing, followed by your initial update, and then you have to consider monitoring and managing the local business listing just like your website.

You will find that the local business listing can actually be a website, but probably better to use it as a support tool to your primary website.  In order for you to show up in the search results you have to be sure the local business listing has all the right information about your business, products and services.

That is then followed by adding photos, videos, coupons, offers, discounts, events and other information that will help the local customer decide to do business with you.

Managing your local business listing includes managing customer reviews and engaging with them not only to secure positive reviews from satisfied customers, but to insure positive public relations with any customers that are less than satisfied.

Finally, the optimization process includes watching the local business listing analytics (separate from your website) and making decisions about how to tweak your listing.

…and did we mention this goes well beyond Google?  Variety of other websites are included such as Bing, Yahoo, Yelp, Local.com, Merchant Circle, Citysearch  and many others that include search engines, social communities, 411 websites, GPS websites, and business directories.

Read more: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-business-listing-optimization-becomes-important-for-all-businesses/25681/#ixzz159KhQjg9

Quick Case Study: Zero to #1 on Google Maps and Page 1 of Google Search

We have a client in Jacksonville Florida who had lost all of her Google rankings for her corporate franchise local website.

After doing a bit of keyword research we found that her best money making, client attracting phrase is :"home care Jacksonville".

She didn't rank at all.

She signed up with us for:

• our Alzheimer's Marketing Program,
• she let us take over optimizing her corporate franchise local website,
• we placed her in the Google Places program at no additional charge.

We "rehabbed" her internet presence in 4 weeks.

Today, November 11, 2010, our client's corporate website has made it to the bottom of page 1 on a Google search for "home care Jacksonville".

On an even more exciting note, she has gone from NONEXISTANT to #1 on Google Maps for her local search area.

And for this client….. it's only going to get better.

Take a look at the screenshots from yesterday.

Both attachments can be found here: http://ltcexpert.posterous.com/quick-case-study-zero-to-1-on-google-maps-and

 

If you want programs that make business happen, this is it folks.

Watch the replay of our webinar here:

View on screencast.com »

The Google Places program is only $127 per month (for now) and free for all of our clients who participate in:

• Alzheimer's Marketing Program
• Ultimate Marketing Program
• Advanced Marketing Program

Get involved, and see a remarkable 2011. 

Contact George Novoson at George@ltcep.com or call us at 888-404-1513

Sincerely,

Valerie VanBooven RN BSN

Posted via email from Marketing Elder Care and Marketing Senior Services