Website Optimization & Online Marketing

by Dominic Maricic July 1, 2011

Google, Yahoo & Bing Local Listings

Search engines have drastically altered the results they list online over the past year. Gone are the days where a search engine only returns a list of websites. They’ve added videos, images, music and, of course, local map listings.

We’ve all seen them at the top (and, recently, the right side) of Google. You’ve spent all this time trying to get your site to #1 on Google, and now there’s a brand new inspection company above you on the map Google calls Google Places.

Instead of hiring the marketing company calling you daily, do it yourself and get better results.

Start with Google as they have 67 percent of the search market right now. Go to places.google.com/business to get started.

Log in on the right side of the page with your Google account or click on Get Started.

It’s extremely important that you fill out all the information you can. Upload your business logo, a picture of yourself, and video testimonials from clients. List your website address, add coupons you may offer for military, seniors, etc. Then, make sure to list your service area by entering your address, which you can leave hidden, and set the radius of the area you inspect.

Next, you need to work on getting your listing to the top of Google Places. You’ll usually do best in the city you’re located in, but you can do well in surrounding areas, too. It’s important to drive client reviews to your listing to boost your rank. Include a link to your local listing in your reports or in an email you send to clients asking them to review you.

Get listed on Yahoo by going to listings.local.yahoo.com and Bing at https://ssl.bing.com/listings/ListingCenter.aspx.

Have a question? Ask me on the ASHI Forum’s Marketing Board.


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