Google Places - Everything That Matters Isn't On the Listing Page
The entire Google Place experience would be so much easier if your placement on the maps was all determined by what you do on the listing pages. I didn't say easy, because if you read all of my other tutorials, you'll see that the optimization of your listing is anything but easy. Should you spend the time and have the patience to follow all of the other recommended steps, and you have a well thought out listing, now the real fun begins.
Google owns Google Places. You may be thinking I deserve the prize for being obvious at this point. But this is a critical peace in the puzzle that is Places. Google has the most sophisticated algorithms on the planet. Call them robots or spiders or whatever name you wish, Google has the ability to check out your company's creditability like no one else. And they do. This ability and their dogged determination to make sure the person executing a search gets correct and valid information combine to make the next part of your success on Google Places potentially the most critical of all.
1. Consistency - Your company name, address, most important keywords relating to your category, and local phone number need to be the same EVERYWHERE. Every page of your website should have a textual version of your company name, address, and local phone number. As a marketer, I will tell you the phone number should be prominent. For Google Places purposes, this information can be contained and information block at the bottom of the page if you prefer.
Then this same information should be found on your blog, directory listings, other local search engines, Facebook, and so on. If you move or change your phone number, all of these listings need to be changed and updated. The more places that Google Places can find confirmation of your basic information, the better chance you have of moving up in the placement on the maps.
2. The prominence of your web site. All of the elements that help your website rise to the first page of search are going to help your Google Places ranking improve. If Google sees that your website has tons of information, has keywords that match the categories on your Places listing, has links from other reputable online sources, and gets a lot of visitors, they will count that towards credibility on Places.
3. No spam anywhere. If you have been talked into some black hat practices and you get caught, you can easily find your Google Places listing MIA. If your gut is telling you that the practice you are engaged in or someone wants to sell you doesn't sound fair. It probably isn't. You might even get a benefit for a while, then wake up one morning and you are banished.
