Search Engines have 2 mainly goals: to deliver satisfying results responding to users’ expressed needs (search queries) and to meet these needs filtered to people’s physical location. Consequently optimizing the online presence of your business for both web and local search results will take you one step forward against your market competitors.
This week we are sharing some tips on how to optimize your local search listing and on how to submit your business to the major Search Engine`s Local services, Google Places, Yahoo! Local Listings and Bing Listing Center.
General tips for local search listings
- Add your official website URL, business, products, and contact details.
- Insert the most important keywords on the texts.
- Take advantage of this online presence by adding corporate logo, photos of your store and/or products along with videos.
- Check if there are any third party listings of your business or mistakenly located listings.
- Authenticate your listing and claim ownership in order to have control and to provide official and updated information.
- Use coupons for offers to run short term campaigns for your business.
- Regularly study the impressions and links provided by reporting analytics.
Google Places
In order to login to Google Places, you need a Google account, furthermore the service is free of charge.
A paid plan can work additionally using an Adwords campaign showing up your ads on Local Search results. The coupons as an extra promotion tool within Google places are provided for free.
Yahoo! Local Listings
In order to login Yahoo Local Listings a Yahoo! account is required.
Yahoo Local Listing service offers two plans, the Basic Listing which is free of charge and the Enhanced Listing which is the paid one ($9.95 per Month). The service is supported only if a yahoo country-sub domain exists. For example for a listing in Paris, you should visit: http://fr.local.yahoo.com/)
Bing Local Listing Center
Bing’s local listing is supported by Yellowpages.com and the submission is free.
Overview Table
| Google Places | Yahoo Local Listings | Bing Local Listing Center | |
| Free Listing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paid Listing | Yes (adwords) | Yes (yahoo!search marketing) | Yes (yellow pages) |
| Reporting | Yes | Supported only for paid plan | Not supported |
| Link to Website | Yes | Yes (no followed) | Yes |
| Logo | Yes | Only for Paid Plan | Yes |
| Photo | Yes Up to 10 | Only for Paid Plan | Yes |
| Video | Yes Up to 5 | Not Supported | Not supported |
| Coupons | Yes | Only for Paid Plan | Not supported |
| Business Details | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Searchable Text Description | Yes | Yes | Only for Paid Plan |
| Verification Process | Verification PIN by auto phone Call / Mail | Using Google Site authentication file | Verification PIN by auto phone Call / Mail |
| Contact Information | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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