Apr 01

5 Tips for Ranking Higher in Google Maps

Google Maps Marketing, Local Business Center Comments Off
Number of View: 7329

Spammy Title Example in Google Maps

2229429 f496 5 Tips for Ranking Higher in Google Maps

5 Tips for High Rankings in Google Maps

In the new age of local business marketing, Google map listings are second to none in the category of cost effective marketing. Placed above the other highly valued organic rankings, the Google map listings are displayed for nearly every service or product search term that includes a city descriptor such as “Los Angeles Attorney”.

The emergence of Google Maps Advertising as the most critical element of local advertising has precipitated great competition in the area of local map listing optimization. Because it is a newer area of optimization, many business owners and marketing professionals have made mistakes that have caused Google to apply severe ranking penalties while others, using good techniques and adhering to Google’s rules, have had unprecedented marketing success. Some of the good techniques for optimizing maps are as follows:

5 Tips to Ranking Higher in Google Maps:

  1. Be wary of using keyword loaded titles. According to Google’s Quality Guidelines in the LBC (Local Business Center), the name of the company, not keywords and cities, need to be a represented in the title. Your ranking will be positively effected however if your company name actually includes the city and keywords the business is targeting. Spammy titles as follows can cause Google to apply a penalty to a local listing and possible removal of the listing entirely.
  2. Use a local phone number. The exclusive use of a toll free number in your Google Map Listing is likely to incur a penalty. Be sure to list your local number – preferably the number you listed with the agency with which you filed your DBA. Google verifies information with a variety of sources including sources that are fed by county records offices that verify you legal contact information, address, and phone number. If your local listing record matches what Google cross references in these credible sources, then you have scored big points in the validation area of your listing. A local area code will further validate your legitimate local presence. This will have a positive impact on your ranking while using a toll free number exclusively will have a negative impact.
  3. Create a 100% complete listing. When you input your listing in Google’s LocalBusinessCenter, be sure to include as much detail as possible. Photos, videos, hours of operation, and additional details can be included or not included in a listing. After creating a listing, you can view the percentage of completion in the upper right hand side of the main LocalBusinessCenter page. If you have less than 100%, don’t despair – just go back into the listing and add more content until you have a high quality listing with lots of good photos and details.
  4. Add a coupon. Adding a coupon will enhance the usefulness of your listing to the public and therefore it is likely that Google will apply a ranking bonus to your listing. Feel free to add multiple coupon offers. Some companies have 7 or more special offers. Also, coupons will enhance your conversion rate. Google recently released a beta version of a coupon search in local business listings.
  5. Include your address and phone number in the contact page of your website. Be sure to use the address and phone number that you are using in your LocalBusinessCenter. It’s surprising how many times companies fail to put this fundamental information in their site. If it is there, the web site will serve as a critical validation of the business’ address and phone information and will receive a validation bonus accordingly. This will strongly enhance your chances of ranking well.

If your listing has been penalized, it can be a major blow to your business. Implement the above techniques and penalties can be avoided. If you’ve already been penalized, don’t lose all hope. By correcting your listing or working with experts in the field, you can get the campaign back on track and recover your Google Map presence.

Google Local SEO and Maps Marketing Experts

  • Google Maps Marketing and Local SEO
    Providing Google SEO Marketing services & best in Google Local Maps SEO. Our SEO Strategy have been generating incredible results for our clients by moving their websites to top in major search engines.
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Apr 01

Where did my Google local business map listing go?

Google Maps Marketing, Local Business Center Comments Off
Number of View: 2366

How do I get back into Google’s good graces?

Thousands of businesses bask in the glory of achieving high Google map rankings that help drive their sales while leaving competitors wondering how they are doing so well in a down economy. For many, it’s simple luck that gravitated their local listing to Google’s coveted first page (top 7 local map listings) while for others it’s a culmination of hard work, studying, and careful planning. Then, there are those who got the call from a Maps Optimization company that promised first page listings on Google maps for a fee.  Typically these calls originate from  an automated telemarketing call that connects to a live agent reading a script fresh out of the sales training room. Then come the bullets fired off right off the freshly printing sales training manual pages:

1. You’re business is not on page one of Google and you are missing the majority of potential customers! (Perhaps true if you’re not on page one for the bigger keywords)

2. We can get you there in 4-6 weeks! (Yep, that’s the standard BS directly from the sales script. The fact is that it’s a variable that the telemarketer is likely not even qualified to discuss).

3. Pay us $1750 per year and we’ll keep you up there all year. (This is a red flag and most yearly price quotes I’ve heard are typically around this price. Any company charging you a year in advance for SEO type services is giving themselves way too much room for error.)

So, what happens when the company gets you on Google’s first page in 3 weeks using black hat tactics? It’s time to celebrate, right?!! You made it to page one and the company you contracted – well, they’re just a bunch of geniuses!

Think again. More and more, Google is cracking down hard on black hat map optimization tactics in the maps.  While Black Hatters may enjoy early results by either hijacking existing listings or loading the titles of listings, or both, the results are usually short lived. Every day, as Google Map Listing consultants, we get calls from small business owners who have essentially been “blacklisted” from Google’s local business listings due to high risk, instant reward practices. Often the affected companies URL, company name, and even their address can be penalized permanently by Google.

So, what is an example of a black hat tactic that works temporarily but will bring the wrath of Google down the road? Here is a prime example:

Las Vegas Bail Bonds (note today is 2/21/2010 – mark your calendar) brings up the following search results:

Black Hat Google Map Listing Practices

2627855 f520 Where did my Google local business map listing go?

Note the Violations of Google Quality Guidelines

Google’s Quality Guidelines, are published by Google here: http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=107528

Let’s disect the varioius violations in the A listing (as of 2/21/2010 it is “In-n-out Bail Bonds” and this will likely change soon).

Google states in their Guidlines:

Business Name

  • Represent your business exactly as it appears in the offline world. The name on Google Maps should match the business name, as should the address, phone number and website.
  • Do not attempt to manipulate search results by adding extraneous keywords or a description of your business into the business name.
  • Do not include phone numbers or URLs in the business name.

Note that first set of violations in the A listing:

1. Note the real name of the business is not “In-n-Out Bail Bonds Las Vegas Bail Bonds www.bailbondlasvegas.net”. Breaks Google’s first published rule.

2. Note the address on the web site does not match the address or phone number in Google’s local listing.  This is indicative of a hijacked listing. Incidentally, it was reported recently that the first criminal conviction has resulted from this practice and the hijacker is facing 7 years in prison (see: http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/12/11/nz-florist-facing-7-years-for-hijacking-local-gmaps-listings-of-competitors/)

3. Google states specifically not to put in extraneous keywords that are descriptions in the business name. Adding “Las Vegas Bail Bonds” in the title violates that rule.

4. Google explicitly states in its third rule that a business should not include their URL in the business name.

These blatant violations beg the question: why oh why is this violator at the top of Google’s maps listing when they (along with listing C) have so blatantly violated Google’s quality guidelines?

One of the answers is that Google penalties for quality guidelines are not applied at the point of listing verification (phone or mail registration process for newly listed businesses) unless the listing has been previously incurred a penalty. So in this case as in many others, the Spammy title is temporarily helping the respective companies with keyword loading that results in a ranking advantage over other listings – for the time being.

In time, the listings (A and C) will be penalized and the short lived success will translate into a long term nightmare of repairing the damage of the quick and dirty, “smash and grab” tactic of the company that promised the world, delivered the position using unethical tactics, survived the chargeback period of 60 days (typically the time credit card companies allow to attempt to get money returned for this type of bait and switch fraud), and destroyed the client’s URL for the long term.

In the end, it is critical to understand Google’s guidelines and how specifically your local map listing will be promoted if you use a maps optimization service. What do you need to know before you contract a Google Maps Advertising firm:

  • Ask about how they will structure your title tags and how they will promote your listing.
  • Ask why they will provide an advantage in your market and the realistic time frame for acquiring a competitive, first page position.
  • Ask if they warranty their service and offer you guarantees.
  • Ask if they have a month to month option rather than paying for a whole year up front.
  • Ask what happens if you lose your competitive position – are you still required to pay?

To further qualify a maps optimization, more tips are listed in this article:

Meanwhile, buyer beware. Google local SEO marketing is truly the wild wild west of modern advertising with huge implications at stake for every local business. Google maps marketing experts are out there so do it is best to do homework before succumbing to the assembly map listing promoters who may appear to deliver results initially but destroy your long term position on Google.

Google Map Listing Pros

  • Google Maps Marketing Pros
    Providing Google SEO Marketing services & best in Google Local Maps SEO. Our SEO Strategy have been generating incredible results for our clients by moving their websites to top in major search engines.
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Oct 22

Google Maps Now including paid listings as Organic Listing diminish

Google Local Ads, Google Maps Marketing, Google Paid Listings, Local Business Center Comments Off
Number of View: 2906

Being around in the Google Maps Marketing and Optimization business, you often here people say,  “those map listings won’t be free forever – they’re too valuable”.  Google now officially agrees.

In recent weeks it was announced that Google will be adding paid local results above the local map displayed to the left of the organic results. As you may notice, the famous but short lived 10-pack has now become the Lucky 7. Reducing but not eliminating local map results, Google has made room for up to 4 sponsored local map results that will reside in the sponsored link box within the shaded yellow area just below the Pay Per Click (Adwords) links. Here is a preview of how the page will look:

local ads listing Google Maps Now including paid listings as Organic Listing diminish

These ads will be sold at a flat rate monthly fee reported to range from $20 to $200 per month. It’s unclear at this point exactly what the pricing parameters are; however, this price point should be appealing to the local brick and mortar business that wants to compete against the Pay Per Click link buyers.

It appears that Google’s new local listing format will include a total of 11 slots – 4 paid and 7 organic. Organic listings are furnished free of charge by Google, however, with competition escalating for these limited positions, many firms are implementing specific optimization strategies to affect map rankings. More are likely coming into the fray.

Currently Google is testing their new paid map listing product in San Diego and San Francisco. Google’s paid map listings are an exciting development that might offer an advantage over traditional Pay Per Click advertising. Only the test subjects in these select markets have a preview to burning questions:

1. What, if any difference will there be in CTR between PPC, paid map listings, and organic map listings?
2. Do the map listings rotate or will it become a bidding strategy to maintain first page paid map listings?
3. What stats will the Google LBC dashboard include?

Following the recent dashboard inclusion in June, it stands to reason that the local map product would continue to evolve. Initially, the map listings will include the following features:

  1. Ads shown on Google.com and Google Maps
  2. A flat monthly fee based on your location and business category
  3. First 30 days free
  4. No bid or keyword management
  5. Free call-tracking, announcing each forwarded customer call (’This caller brought to you by Google’)
  6. Full report on the number of calls, clicks to your ad, requests for driving directions, and clicks to your info window on Google Maps
  7. The option to cancel your ad at any time

As Google unveils this new service, we will begin testing the metrics and reporting them in test cases. As the changes – from the 3 pack to the 10 pack to the 7 pack – all inside of one year continue to shake the foundations of local search, one thing is clear, Google is undaunted in the quest for more revenue as it gains more and more market share, and more changes are likely on the way.

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Oct 06

Google Maps Marketing – Ranking for keywords with a 100% complete Listing

Google Maps Marketing, Local Business Center Comments Off
Number of View: 1054

Part of Local Maps SEO marketing success is the knowledge of how to create a complete listing. Google had tutorials on how to create quality listings but they have not published a chart that describes the elements that comprise a complete listing by proportion. Creating a complete listing (Google provide a percentage guideline in the LBC) is one of the many factors in having the best chance of landing a solid map ranking.

The following chart is the proportional breakdown that is practical in determining how to achieve a 100% score.

local business center Google Maps Marketing – Ranking for keywords with a 100% complete Listing

Completeness of a local map listing will not guarantee ranking success; however it will contribute to your overall map ranking score. For a more thorough analysis of your map ranking and how to affect many more factors that will give you a competitive edge, contact Be Found Marketing at 888-287-7370 for a free consultation.

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