1. Claim your listing on Google Places. This keeps the listing safe from malicious hijacking and is the first step to optimize your local search presence.

2. Use Google’s AdWords keyword tool to determine which terms related to your business have the highest traffic, then make sure your business description and details sections include them.

3. Work these keywords into your listing, but don’t “overstuff” them. This tactic will be penalized by Google and makes you appear spammy to potential customers.

4. Enhance your listing with photos, videos, coupons, and any other details that might be useful for potential customers to know. Help make searchers feel comfortable that a trip to your business will be a good experience.

5. Track your listing’s performance on a regular basis by searching for your key product/service terms along with your city and state location. Use this to see how your optimizations affect ranking.

6. Check your listing content regularly on search engines and local directories. These sites often pull information from each other, so inconsistencies in one can pull into the rest.

7. Use coupon codes that are specific to your local listing as another way to measure success.

8. Read what customers are saying about you in online reviews and use this information to improve your products/services.

9. Never post fake reviews as this can get your listing flagged in search engines and will likely be caught by actual consumers.

10. Many local channels will allow you to respond to reviews as the business owner. Your responses help build listing content and improve ranking. For negative reviews, respond with sincere empathy and offer to make things right. A simple “Thank you!” will do for positive reviews.

Erik Whaley, Director
Location3 Media/Local Search Traffic

www.localsearchtraffic.com
ewhaley@location3.com