Have you ever searched for a local company and get confused by the
myriad of search results that show up? There was a time when you could
search online and your results would generate local business's for you
to contact.
Now, when you search, the first page of
Google may only have 1 or 2 local business websites that will show up.
The large online directories have been dominating search results in a
way that can be annoying when you are just trying to find a local
company to do business with.
A typical page in Google's
search results will yield three main areas. The top area (and side
area) is the paid ad area, then the main content area and within the
main content area you will have the third area which is Google+ Local.
Typically,
the top and side paid area will be shaded slightly so that you can tell
that it's the paid area (even though it can be hard to see sometimes.
You really have to look close to see it). This is Google's way of
generating money for itself by selling these placement ads that will
insure that your website is at the top of Google. This can be a
relatively inexpensive way to be found up high on Google but the costs
can add up quickly if you don't monitor your activity. (Google does
allow you to set your daily spending limits but sometimes just one click
can use up your daily allowance which means you are done for that day
and your website will not show up again until the next day). This is one
way to be found on the first page of Google but not the best way!
People tend to distrust those paid ads (since they are paid after all
and haven't worked or earned their way to the front page of Google by
their relevancy!!).
So, being found organically is by
far the best way (and normally the cheapest way in the long run). SEO
(Search Engine Optimization) is the term used for the work that is done
to increase your website's relevancy which will in turn get it climbing
up the search result's ladder. The main content area will be the organic
search results (I will speak more on this at a later date).
Today
we focus on Google+ Local. The local search result area. Google will
find your website and display it here if the address for your company is
physically located in the city which was searched for. For example: if
someone searches for "website creation company highland mi". Then
hopefully every website creation company that has their physical address
in Highland Michigan will be listed in the "Local" area in the search
results that are displayed.
Ideally you would like to
get listed first in this partitioned area. Good optimization of your
Google+Local listing will get you listed first or at least up high on
this list (it is not alphabetical). There are a number of things you can
do to optimize your Google+Local area.
Next Blog: Some simple things you can do to optimize you Google+Local listing.....
Jeff Dean
Owner of LMS Website Services LLC
http://lmswebsiteservices.com
