Local Maps Optimization

What is Local Maps Optimization?

In November of 2010 Google shifted from featuring organic search engine results as the first non-paid listings on their results pages to now prioritize local businesses in these premium positions.  The Google Places profiles include business information like a link to a map and the business addresses, personal reviews, references from other sites and video results.

Local businesses listed prominently on these maps have an advantage in promoting their business to new customers, they often rank higher than national brands who may have larger marketing budgets.  National businesses with local addresses can also benefit from making these lists, but they are not in need of the regular attention local businesses require to stay on top.

Actions:

What WebHEAT needs from you:

• You need to have a business with a local commercial address (Not possible for home based businesses)
• Photographs, video or other digital assets to use in your listing
• Local phone number
• Access to your existing Google, Bing, Yahoo or other local profiles
• Access to your website

What WebHEAT brings to the table:

• Perform initial on-page optimization
• Establish GEO Tagging on all website pages
• Create Digital Asset Inventory (logos, photographs, videos)
• Claim local profiles in Google, Yahoo, Bing
• Optimize Google / Yahoo / Bing Local Maps Profile
• Distribute local business data to data aggregators
• Provide template for customer reviews
• Sync Google Tags Advertising campaign with a PPC account
• Establish Most Impactful Social Media Accounts
  • Create Yelp Profile
  • Google Places
  • Create Facebook Fan Page
  • Create LinkedIn Company Profile
  • Create Twitter account
  • Create YouTube account
• Link your website to social media and major profile sites
• Optimize major accounts with digital assets
• Evaluate and adjust strategies with regular progress tests

Optional

• Back Linking to your local profile

Timeframe:

WebHEAT’s Local Maps Optimization services include a 5 day setup followed by a 2-4 month project depending on the statistical significance of your company’s objectives. Typically results will be seen after six to eight weeks.

Bottom Line:

Mid November 2010 Google switched its results page to feature local businesses over organic search engine optimized listings.

Local businesses that were once on the first page were pushed to the second page and business dropped off dramatically. For local businesses Local Maps Optimization and PPC are now the way to stay accessible to customers.  90% of the clicks happen on the first page and 70% of the first page hits for local businesses are on local map profiles.  Bottom line, this is a have to, not a want to item.

If you are trying to do this yourself, there is a big gotcha.  Did you know that only 60% of the ranking of a Google profile comes from the profile itself, the rest comes from other sites linking back and providing supporting and corroborative information about your business.

If you are the type of person who says “I have already claimed my listing on Google – there is nothing else to be done” you are going to be dominated by competitors who understand the big picture.