Local Seo Optimization Gets a Huge New Option: Google Places Tags

Google Places local business listings just got a whole lot better.  


Now Google Places Tags offer SMB's the ability to stand out in a crowd for only $25 a month.  Here is a video that tells the story.

Setting Up Google Places Can Be Really Easy or Really Hard

There are two myths about Google Places.  One says it is really hard to set up Google Places.  The other says that it is really easy to set up Google Places.  This video will explode both myths.

Google Places: "Owner Content Will Get Priority"

The new Google Places Help Forum is not yet at its full potential, but it's definitely improved.  A Google employee released that the company does buy information from other companies, including YellowPages.com.  Because they buy that information, there's an opportunity for competing information.  This competing information will even include the key elements such as your name, address, and phone number.

A client of mine doesn't like her picture that is included with her Places listing.  This picture was taken from CitySearch.  There's no telling how they got the photo, but you get the point.  The Google Places Rep said that they will go as far as to call a business to establish what information is correct when there is conflict.  I would love to receive news of that actually happening.

The key element to be taken from the forum post:  Information, pictures, and videos supplied by the owner will always be preferred to info coming from other sources, including the paid ones.  This is why there is so much importance that you claim your Google Places listing and keep it fresh.

Update - I am beginning to see situations where owner information is NOT showing up in listings, but citations from other resources are seemingly getting priority.  What are others seeing?  Please comment.

Google Places: The Yellow Pages of The Present and Future

Lest anyone think I dost protest too much, check out the following post.  Google has to the position, the product, and the power to be the king of local search.  Like the 2010 Lakers, it is there's to lose.

Is Google Becoming the New Ma Bell?

By Gregg Stewart, ClickZ, May 6, 2010

Sponsored by Microsoft Mobile Advertising

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First off, some younger readers might not get the comparison. The colloquial term Ma Bell ("Mother Bell") was used to refer to the conglomerate that held a complete monopoly over all telephone service in most areas of the United States. In effect, they were the utility that brought communication to U.S. consumers and businesses. Fast forward about 100 years and we see a similar "utility" emerging in Google as it moves further to embed its product set and services in the minds of both consumers and businesses.

  

Nowhere is this pattern more evident than in the realm of local search. With over 65 percent marketshare of search (according to comScore) and nearly $12 billion in annualized revenue from U.S. search (according to Google's Q1 2010 Quarterly Earnings Summary); I think we can all agree that Google is a successful business. Interestingly though, all of this success has come from leveraging a relatively small base of advertisers, around 1 million U.S. advertisers (as of 2009). Considering there were over 29 million businesses in the U.S. in 2008 (according to SBA), it stands to reason that Google has an opportunity to dominate the local search marketplace.
Let's consider the facts; one in five searches on Google is now explicitly location-specific. Recently, Google has taken some steps to enhance the local-search process on its site as well as the local content itself. Most notably, these steps include:

• The revamp of the Local Business Center - now called Google Places
• Google Maps allowing service-based businesses to target service areas
• The enhanced localization of Google Suggest

Google Places: Prioritizing Your Keywords, City, and Zip Codes

Is it possible to have it all?  You can accomplish everything I suggest, and do it perfectly, but sadly you won't get every keyword in every city and zip code you care about on Places.  Right now I am working with a personal trainer in West Los Angeles who's business makes this case.

She would be thrilled to rank highly under Pilate Instructor, Pilate classes, Fitness, Exercise Classes, Nutrition, Personal Trainer, boot camp, weight loss consultant, personal fitness coach, and many more.  In addition, her West L.A. address would allow her to draw from 15 cities such as Santa Monica, Culver City, and El Segundo, as well as 10 Los Angeles "villages" like Westwood, Venice, and Marina Del Rey.  I wish there was a way to do all that.

Google Maps and other LSE's (Local Search Engines) are structured to give some sort of indexing based on how close they are to the city included in the search.  For example, if I'm searching for Personal Trainer Santa Monica, why would I want an El Segundo business to show up first if the two cities are 8 miles away?

Now lets say I'm the owner, and my business borders Santa Monica and Mar Vista. However, my business is really located in Mar Vista, a small village of Los Angeles and less noticeable than Santa Monica. I sure would like to show up on the MAP in Santa Monica.

Reality time, sadly, you are going to have to do some prioritizing.  In fact, you should really pick one key word and one city first.  Next, do you try to broaden your control under that keyword, or work harder to dominate several key words in your primary city?  Either way, the more cities you get or the more keywords you want, the harder it is to accomplish your tasks.  However, it is better to at least set clear goals.

If you want to expand your reach past the "natural" stretches of Google Places algorithm, there are tricks that you can count on never being published by me.  For these tricks, call me at 310-910-1848.

Google Places and restaurant - The MAP on the Outside is Critical

Google Places for Restaurant Marketing should be a big priority for anyone who hopes to be a threat in their local market.  After you've completed the basics outlined in the PAGES section of this blog, you need to step up the effort to the best of your ability on Reviews, Coupons, and Citations.  Everyone in the business of the local search engine agrees that you will need to get as many reviews as you can on Yelp, CitySearch, YellowPages.com and all other local search engines if you're looking to compete.  In the restaurant business, you will need listings as well as reviews in the specific Restaurant directories, and need to be front row center on the mobile device listings.  This is a big plate to finish, but your future might very well depend on it.

However, the big hype is getting outside on the MAP.  Getting that position ultimately depends on getting all those reviews, citations, and having an active coupon.  Methods for getting your reviews will be the subject of a post soon to come.

For most restaurants, spending several thousands of dollars per month on prints, radio, AdPac, and everything else, is pretty much the minimum you can do.  For just $1000 to $2000, you can get major permanent online positioning that will last for years to come.  You can try it yourself by reading these pages and subscribing to the posts, or you can have it done by a pro.  If you're inclined to just get it done, call 310-910-1848.

A website with great local SEO is a main part of the way to get you on the outside MAP.  Local SEO is just one of our many specialties.

Optimizing Google Places- How To Get an A plus

Here we have great helpful information, as well as an outstanding visual from Mike Blumenthal's Blog.  Getting a 100% rating from Google is not critical when the time comes to rank your listing, but it can't hurt. And don't worry, it's not that hard.

If you prefer charts over well crafted visuals, here is one with exactly the same information.

Google Places Coming To the Rescue

Recently, Google Places has given us these statements: they will have more information, newsletters, better forums, and all types of aid coming to us.  You can call me the expert.  Send me all of your questions.  If I haven't already answered them somewhere in this blog, I may have the answer with me. Or with all this new help, I might be able to get an answer for you.