Anatomy of a Local Search Results Page: Quality Content with Owner Verified Listings are Key to Appearing Frequently and Rank High in Search Results
1. Google My Business Listings Results. Verifying ownership of your business on search engines and business directories is a good place to start to ensure that your business shows up frequently and rank high for relevant searches. Google also rewards listings that have a lot of information to help the searcher efficiently find what they are looking for. Quality factors include good customer reviews (the more the better), well written content on products and services, photos and consistent business name, address and phone (NAP) across local and national business directories.
2. Enhanced Google My Business Listing Profile. These pop up when the user curses over the results listings mentioned above. The goal here is to stand out with photos and great customer reviews, in addition to NAP, hours and directions. Verification of ownership is needed to control what appears about your business here.
3 & 4. Business Directories and Review Sites: Yellowpages.com & Yelp.com. There are over 75 local and national business listing and review websites. Again, owner verified sites with enhanced up-to-date NAP and content (photos, more detailed information, etc) is key to appearing frequently and ranking high in search results both on search engines and within the directories.
5. Google Paid Search Ads. Google's primary source of revenue. Advertisers bid on keywords to appear in results and pay Google for each click made on the ad.
2. Enhanced Google My Business Listing Profile. These pop up when the user curses over the results listings mentioned above. The goal here is to stand out with photos and great customer reviews, in addition to NAP, hours and directions. Verification of ownership is needed to control what appears about your business here.
3 & 4. Business Directories and Review Sites: Yellowpages.com & Yelp.com. There are over 75 local and national business listing and review websites. Again, owner verified sites with enhanced up-to-date NAP and content (photos, more detailed information, etc) is key to appearing frequently and ranking high in search results both on search engines and within the directories.
5. Google Paid Search Ads. Google's primary source of revenue. Advertisers bid on keywords to appear in results and pay Google for each click made on the ad.
