Get Listed on the First Page of Google for Free - Just by Filling Out a Form! Sound Too Good to be True?
Like many people, I rely on Google Maps to help me find what I'm looking for. Having been out of town, navigating a new city for the last week, I realized just how much I use it, and search engines in general. This reminded me of how these businesses actually get listed to appear when I search for them. It's a simple, free, and very effective way to market your business since it actually displays local listings above the top organic results.
Like many people, I rely on Google Maps to help me find what I'm looking for. Having been out of town, navigating a new city for the last week, I realized just how much I use it, and search engines in general. This reminded me of how these businesses actually get listed to appear when I search for them. It's a simple, free, and very effective way to market your business since it actually displays local listings above the top organic results.
If you want to grow your business by targeting search traffic, it's essential to get your business listed on Google Maps and Yahoo Local. It also comes with a very appealing price tag - free.
Let's take a closer look at what this actually does. Go to Google and type in 'Portland Graphic Design.' By including a city name, the engine realizes you're trying to use a location as your key qualifier. To provide more helpful results, it includes the local businesses in that area. As you can see from the list, Vanivo (my company) is listed as #2 (as I'm writing this). We get a few clicks each day from this listing alone. What does this mean to you? Get listed to grow your business!
Including yourself in these local listings is really simple:
How to List your business on Google Maps:
1. Search Google for "Google Maps Local Business Center" and login or get a new Google username. 2. Follow the 'Add a New Listing' link 3. Complete the form with as much company info as possible, and make certain to emphasize your target keywords for your business. 4. To make sure you gave them the correct information, Google will want to send you a letter with a confirmation pin to the address you provided, or will call you at your request and ask you to enter a verification pin. I recommend using the phone option if it is available, since it is much quicker than the postal mail method. 5. After you've verified your info, your listing should start appearing within a few hours or days. Ensure all your business info is accurate, and dress it up by uploading a graphic.
Create a Business Listing using Yahoo Local:
1. This process is even more simple than Google Maps. Just navigate to local.yahoo.com and click 'Add a Business' in the blue section at the bottom. 2. Complete your company information and click 'submit.' 3. Yahoo Local staff will receive your request and include it in their listings after they review it.
BONUS ADVICE: As long as your business meets with clients 'by appointment only,' or don't have people randomly dropping by your office, you can take advantage of this tip to really boost your ranking on the map. Get a mailing address as close to the geographical center of your city as you can, then use that address in your map-related listing. You will be ranked higher for being closer to the center of the city. Combine this with a keyword-rich title, and you're set!
Now you have your business listed for your keyword, Great! Now what? Well, doesn't it blend in with all the others? I thought so. To remedy this 'bland listing syndrome,' you need to get your company reviews built up. By asking a few of your past customers to write a few words and rank you on both Google and Yahoo (send them links to make it easier), you can build some excellent credibility and make your listing stand out by having 5 red stars next to your name.
Now you know how to grow your business using Yahoo Local and Google Maps. Go get listed, and as always, contact me if you have any questions - tony[at]vanivo[dot]com.
Like many people, I rely on Google Maps to help me find what I'm looking for. Having been out of town, navigating a new city for the last week, I realized just how much I use it, and search engines in general. This reminded me of how these businesses actually get listed to appear when I search for them. It's a simple, free, and very effective way to market your business since it actually displays local listings above the top organic results.
If you want to grow your business by targeting search traffic, it's essential to get your business listed on Google Maps and Yahoo Local. It also comes with a very appealing price tag - free.
Let's take a closer look at what this actually does. Go to Google and type in 'Portland Graphic Design.' By including a city name, the engine realizes you're trying to use a location as your key qualifier. To provide more helpful results, it includes the local businesses in that area. As you can see from the list, Vanivo (my company) is listed as #2 (as I'm writing this). We get a few clicks each day from this listing alone. What does this mean to you? Get listed to grow your business!
Including yourself in these local listings is really simple:
How to List your business on Google Maps:
1. Search Google for "Google Maps Local Business Center" and login or get a new Google username. 2. Follow the 'Add a New Listing' link 3. Complete the form with as much company info as possible, and make certain to emphasize your target keywords for your business. 4. To make sure you gave them the correct information, Google will want to send you a letter with a confirmation pin to the address you provided, or will call you at your request and ask you to enter a verification pin. I recommend using the phone option if it is available, since it is much quicker than the postal mail method. 5. After you've verified your info, your listing should start appearing within a few hours or days. Ensure all your business info is accurate, and dress it up by uploading a graphic.
Create a Business Listing using Yahoo Local:
1. This process is even more simple than Google Maps. Just navigate to local.yahoo.com and click 'Add a Business' in the blue section at the bottom. 2. Complete your company information and click 'submit.' 3. Yahoo Local staff will receive your request and include it in their listings after they review it.
BONUS ADVICE: As long as your business meets with clients 'by appointment only,' or don't have people randomly dropping by your office, you can take advantage of this tip to really boost your ranking on the map. Get a mailing address as close to the geographical center of your city as you can, then use that address in your map-related listing. You will be ranked higher for being closer to the center of the city. Combine this with a keyword-rich title, and you're set!
Now you have your business listed for your keyword, Great! Now what? Well, doesn't it blend in with all the others? I thought so. To remedy this 'bland listing syndrome,' you need to get your company reviews built up. By asking a few of your past customers to write a few words and rank you on both Google and Yahoo (send them links to make it easier), you can build some excellent credibility and make your listing stand out by having 5 red stars next to your name.
Now you know how to grow your business using Yahoo Local and Google Maps. Go get listed, and as always, contact me if you have any questions - tony[at]vanivo[dot]com.
Robots,robotics,humanoids:
About the Author: Tony Kau is an expert web designer Portland. He has spent much of his time studying search engine optimization, and can get any page to the top of Google for its keyword. For more information on his Portland web design services, contact him via email - tony(at)vanivo(dot)com.