Optimzing Google+Local

Optimizing Google+Local

Well Google has changed it's local search results from Google Places to Google+Local. This is Google's local directory. Kind of like it's yellow pages for all local business's. Being found in Google+Local is not hard.

Google will index your site and if your company is located in a certain city, let's say White Lake Michigan, then anybody searching for your type of business in White Lake, Michigan will show up in Google+Local.

Now here's the rub. Even though every business based in that city will be listed in Google+Local, not every business will be on page 1. Some will be pages back. Is that where you want your company to be?

Okay then, one thing you can do to be optimized on Google+Local and be found higher up in the rankings is to optimize your name and company description when you claim your company on Google+Local. Oh yes, I almost forgot, you will need to claim your listing so you can optimize it and manage it.

You will need a Google account and/or a gmail account. Once you have these you can go in and search for your company on Google maps (go to maps.google.com. Once there you can search for your company. In the search bar at the top, put in the name of your company and address or city where you are located so Google has some information about your company and will find the right one.

Once you do that you should see companies listed on the left side. Click on the "reviews" link for your business and that should take you into the listing. If that is your business you can scroll down and you will see a box that says "is this your business?" and "manage this page". Click on this link and claim your business.

You'll need to verify your business to prove that you are the owner. That's step one.....

More to come on the next step in optimizing your Google+Local page so you can be found on the top of the search results in the Google+Local area....




Jeff Dean
Owner of LMS Website Services
http://www.lmswebsiteservices.com

More Stuff on Back Links

Okay. Naturally occurring back links. What are they??

Naturally occurring back links are the links to your site that other sites have mentioned (put in) in their blogs or on the websites (or many other places on the web for that matter). Gone are the days when you could put a "links" page on your site with lots and lots of links to other sites in exchange for them putting  a link to your website on their "links" page. This was called link exchanging or reciprocal links (which aren't all bad, more on this later).

Google sees a page full of just links to other sites as link farming and not a "vote" for that site. Google will penalize this practice if it becomes blatant enough.

Naturally occurring links happen, well, naturally. For example: Say we are a carpet retailer and we mention some of the carpet mills that we carry carpet from. It our content we "link" the name "Mohawk" to their website so customers can go to Mohawk's website to check out the newest styles, colors and trends. That would be a naturally occurring link and Google gives that link high value. In most cases anyways (we don't want to get into every aspect of linking because we could be here all day!!).

So, part of every business owners job is to try to have an ongoing link strategy that will help build their brand (like this blog is doing for us....lol).

Good back links are harder and harder to come by these days and gone are the days of buying low quality back links in bulk.

More to come.....


Jeff Dean
Owner of LMS Website Services
http://www.lmswebsiteservices.com

Stuff About Back Links

Google likes back links. The more links you have from other sites that link to your site is a vote for your site. Google sees all the links that link to your website and they see that as a vote of confidence for your site. The more "votes" your site has, the more relevant Google finds your site. The more relevant your site, the more page rank. The more page rank, the higher you go in Google's search results. And that's what we all want don't we? To be found higher and higher on Google's search results.

If you can sift through all the directories on the first page of Google, you may be able to find some of the relevant sites that pertain to your search.

In my experience, the first page of Google search results is filled with directories such as: Yelp, YP.com, Angie's List, Manta, Merchant Circle etc. And it goes on and on. So every time you search, let's say for a retail carpet store, you will be inundated with directories and probably see about 2 actual carpet company websites on the first page (that is in the organic search results).

Why is this? Because the large directories have teams of SEO (search engine optimization) people constantly working on this aspect of their online marketing campaigns. And they have lots and lots of back links that link to their site.

SEO is a constantly evolving thing. And Google's algorithms keep constantly changing (for our good they say) so it's hard to always get and keep your website on the front page of Google.

Every back link you acquire will transform to a vote of confidence to Google. So getting back links (high quality links from high quality websites) is a highly desired thing. Do not under any circumstances partner with a company that promises lots of back links for a price. These will be low quality back links and Google will see through the strategy and penalize your site (this is a very bad thing).

Back links should happen naturally.

More soon........


Jeff Dean
LMS Website Services LLC
http://lmswebsiteservices.com

Merry Christmas everybody

Jeff Dean
LMS Website Services

Get Found Locally

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

Why Have a Website?

Why does every business need a website?

Did you know that in a recent survey by Inc. Magazine that over 75% of consumers search online for a local company to service their needs? And that other surveys put the percentage even higher than that! When was the last time you used the phone book to locate a local company? Even the phone book companies are building an online directory because they know that the days of the phone book are numbered.

Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY (maybe not grandma but everybody else), searches online these days. Either through their home computer, smart phone or tablet. If you are not online (your competitors are trust me) than you are missing out on all of that business that is looking for your type of company.

People I talk to tell me that even if a friend or relative refers a company to them they still go online and check them out. If there is no website then that company loses credibility. For some business's, credibility means everything.

Your website is your storefront. If you don't have a traditional brick and mortar store then your website becomes your only storefront. If you do have a traditional brick and mortar store then your website becomes your virtual storefront. When I used to run a retail store for a large floor covering chain we learned soon enough that the outside of the store was the "first impression" that the customers got when they approached the front doors. This "first impression" would carry over into their buying decisions when they entered the store. The same goes for your online storefront. If it looks great. If it is simple to navigate. If it shows well to the consumer then you have a great chance of getting that customer to actually call you or come to your store.

Have a website! Have a great looking website! Generate more business! Easy, huh??

Jeff Dean
Owner, LMS Website Services
http://lmswebsiteservices.com