Your website looks great, you filled it out with all the relevant information people will need to contact you, but aren’t receiving the traffic or contacts you had hoped for?
To get listed higher on a search engine is a great goal, and what will likely happen is that over time using a few of the things outlined below, your site will pick up steam and get targeted visits from those searching for you. Remember, this is a guide to essentially create backlinks as well as make it simpler for people to find your website and contact information, which is what they want, and you want.
This is available to everyone, and it is sometimes shocking when even large established companies aren’t taking advantage of these resources, because it is so simple.
First step: Custom domain (website address)
One of the most crucial elements of any website is the domain name, meaning the website address. This is your prime real estate as far as search engines are concerned. It would benefit you highly if you bought and owned yourdomain.com. You can usually buy a domain name for $10-12 a year. This is a pretty good price to own the domain, not bad. Owning your domain name is the reservation of the website address. You must point it out to a web host. Sign up for a reputable web host and point your domain name there. The important thing is that you have a custom domain for your website.
Second Step: Directories
Get listed on local directories, for free. This will build links back to your website and then in return help you rank higher as well. Also, remember people are searching for you, make sure they can find you.
Be sure to have the same information, exactly as you put it on your website. How you spell your business name, address and email address should be the same in all the directories so that it ranks the quality of your website and listing.
Here are some directories you need to get listed on, which should be typically free. You don’t have to upgrade or pay for higher directory access, unless you find it necessary:
- Google Business Profile (formerly Google Places): One of the best for showing up on Google and in their Google Maps search which a lot of people use. Once you sign up, add your listing, and verify, you can see statistics for your listing such as how many searches, what keywords, and what actions were taken (looking for directions etc.).
- Bing Places for Business (formerly Bing Local Listing): Although Google currently has over 65.8% of the search market share, Microsoft, owner of Bing since they now power search results on Yahoo! owns 28.1% of the search market share (as of December 2010). In other words, get listed on Bing as well.
- Yelp Business Listing: Yelp is a high-ranking directory that leverages many social elements, specifically the review portion to guide people to your listing
Keep in mind these services will email you from time to time, you aren’t under obligation to pay for them or upgrade unless you decide to.
Third Step: Address on website
Put your email, phone, and address (exactly as you have it on directories) on your website. Put it in the footer of every page to be sure that it’s easily found by search engines, however, if you have a well mapped out website specifically with a sitemap, then you may opt to not do this. Either way, it shouldn’t have a negative effect, it just assists the search engine in giving another few points of quality to your listing and website.
Long term strategy
The best long-term strategy with local search marketing is to continue providing quality content on your website in every shape and form. At the same time, keep the directories you are listed on up to date and it will serve you well. Making it easier for those searching for you to find you, and increasing their satisfaction and your business, is the end goal.