Utah SEO Consultant To Speak About Local Search Optimization

Feb. 10, 2011 - PRLog -- For many local businesses, when you ask about local marketing the only thing they think about is the Yellow Pages.  In today's market, the Yellow Pages are just not as effective as they used to be.

Today, the primary way to find a local business is online.  

With the rise of smart phones, personal devices, and SMS messaging consumers are now carrying the Yellow Pages in their pocket or briefcase.

While purchasing a Yellow Pages ad does get you into the local online search directories, many businesses have no idea how to improve their ranking or position within the local listings.

For Google Places, many business owners don't realize they may already have a local search listing.  If you search google with a city name, along with a type of business, such as Salt Lake City SEO Consultant, you will find a local listing featuring a map.  Many times, you will actually find several listings.

As usual, Google doesn't provide the actual steps you need to follow to get to the top of those listings.  However, some key things to consider are...


1) Claiming Your Listing On Google Places
2) Update Your Company Information
3) Add Photos To Your Listing
4) Add Videos To Your Listing
5) Create A Discount Offer Or Coupon

In many markets and professions, simply claiming your Google Places listing will help move you up in the listings.

Another very important part of local search optimization is customer reviews.  Currently, quantity seems to play a more important part in improving listings than how good the review is.  However, keep in mind that potential customers are far less likely to be calling you, if you have bad reviews.

You may already have reviews of your business that show up on your Google Places listing.  Google aggregates data from many different business directory sites, allowing them to build a business page for you, even if you never knew it existed.

Claiming your own business listing page on these sites, gives you a change to monitor the reviews your business is getting and proactively respond to these reviews as they occur.

For a complementary 30 minute consultation with Kevin on how you can improve your local search position, visit http://www.gurusforhire.com

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GurusForHire.com provides marketing services for local businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the United States. Based in Salt Lake City, Kevin Davis speaks each month on various marketing topics at locations all around the Wasatch Front.