How To Get On Google Local Business Results

How would you like to get to near the top of Page 1 in Google for searches done for your local city? It is not that hard to do (unless your niche is really competitive).

If your business has any local component at all, this would be a great thing to do. People in your local area can find you very quickly.

If you do a search for feng shui milwaukee, you will see my Feng Shui website at #3:

For a local query like this, Google often puts some local results at the top of the page. So how do you get into these local business results? All you have to do is sign up for Google Local (now called “Google Places”).

All you have to do is sign in with your Google account, or sign up if you don’t have one, and then fill in the information. You will need to be verified, and the easiest way to do that is by phone. Google will give you a call (a recorded message) with a pin number that you enter to verify that your phone number is correct.

When filling out the form, here are the important things to remember:

1. Fill in all 5 “Category” fields. This is the most important tip of all. Enter the keywords that people will use to find you. One of my categories is “feng shui”. That’s why I am being found for feng shui milwaukee.
2. Upload at least one photo. It does not have to be a photo of your business. It can be anything that will catch people’s eye. This will make your page on Google Local look much more attractive, so that people will actually contact you. A photo of yourself would be good, as it makes it more personal.
3. Enter a description. Tell people what you or your business can do for them.
4. You will need to enter an address. I advise getting a box at a place like the UPS Store. This is better than a post office box, because they will let you use a suite number, rather than having to have “P.O. Box 123″ as your address. I would not advise using your home address. If your business has a physical location other than your home, of course use that address.

That’s it! Your Google Places page should be up in a day or two, and it can show up in the local results within a couple of weeks.

As you can see in the screenshot above, only 3 local results are showing. If you are not in the first 3, people will have to click the “more results” link to see you. So you want to get in the top 3.

Some things that will help with that:

• Have your address (the same one you filled in the Google Local form) on your website, preferably in the footer, so it will show up on every page. This helps emphasize that you are in that city.
• Build links to your website, so you rank better. You will not need too many links, usually, because not a lot of people think to sign up for Google Local.

If you are in a small town, you will show up for searches in surrounding towns too. When I lived in West Bend, my Feng Shui business showed up in searches for Fond du Lac and other nearby towns.

Not only have I found Feng Shui clients in this way, but I have been contacted to appear at local events, such as a local Women’s Expo and a Chinese New Year celebration. It is a great way to get the word out about your business and become locally known as an expert in your field.