To summarize, Local Search occurs when someone uses a local search engine, such as Google Maps, Bing or Yahoo local, to find products or services catering to their geographical area. These are the three major ones, but there are many more local search engines.
Many people don't even realize they are searching locally. See the Google Local search result example at the bottom of this post using the search term "chicago dental implants". The local listings appear next to the map, but above the organic listings.
Local search is becoming more and more important in the world of SEO. Google and Yahoo/Bing have even gained the ability to offer local results even when a local indicator isn't being used for the keyword search term. Therefore, if your business is serving a specific region, this is definitely a topic to learn more about.
How does my business become listed?
If your business is new, then there is a chance that your company will not be listed in the local search engines (LSE). Therefore, each LSE offers a way to submit your site to them. This can be very time-consuming and is best done by a SEO company that offers expertise in local search. There are also specific optimization techniques that can be done to help build the strength of your local listing.
How is my business listed if I didn't add it?
If this is the case, you will want to claim your business listing. There is a very simple verification process involved, but it is a very important step to take because it gives you ownership of your business information on the local search engines.
More often than not, the information they publish is incorrect or doesn't represent your business as you would like. To control your business brand and reputation, you want to have the ability to provide accurate business information.
If you are wondering how your business got listed, LSEs have the ability to pull information off the web. The LSE can attain minimum data from various sources, including telephone company listings.
To learn more about Local Search…
If you are interested in learning even more about local search, please contact Precis. We would love to share more of our knowledge and help get your business on target to be a major player in local search results.
Google Local Search Result Example:
