google local business results

[essexboy]

Anyone know why on some searches you get google returning
"Local business results for xxxxx near xxxxx" etc.....
and then a list of sites?
it doesn't appear for all business searches?

Also anyone know how the ranking in that list works?

 

[seanh]

These are for regional searches. Need a Google account then add the business details to Local Business Centre. Listing will then appear automatically.

 

[stender]

I've wondered how the ranking works within those results.

 

[miked]

I've wondered that too. It used to be with regard to closeness to geographical centre of the city, but now it doesn't seem that way... I've occasionally seen very strange results.

Perhaps Google now inlcudes other things, like strength of links from other local sites? Kind of a local PageRank.

 

[ddwebguru]

You can your business by feeding the details in these sites:

google.com/local/add
listings.local.yahoo.com
Just search with the term restaurant or dentist in Google and you will get localized result. Actually google is giving more importance to local result.

 

[essexboy]

Yes but why is dentist ABC at number one in the listing and dentist DEF number 5? I don't think it's according to ranking in serps.

 

[ddwebguru]

Yes but why is dentist ABC at number one in the listing and dentist DEF number 5? I don't think it's according to ranking in serps.

You have to comprehend the simple fact that getting top position is not as easy as it may sound. Google checks the backlinks, content, relevancy and other issues before giving top ranks in its search result. You can add your business in local search but there is no guarantee that you would grab high ranking position.

 

[essexboy]

That was my question. I'm fully aware how ranking works in google but the business results I believe are a separate ranking? I am asking how they determine who is result A. and who is .H I don't think it is a mirror of the usual ranking?

 

[kkkrisss]

That was my question. I'm fully aware how ranking works in google but the business results I believe are a separate ranking? I am asking how they determine who is result A. and who is .H I don't think it is a mirror of the usual ranking?

Interesting question...I would like to know as well...

 

[Edwin]

This may help, to some extent at least...
Search Engine Optimisation for Local Businesses

 

[ddwebguru]

Yes but why is dentist ABC at number one in the listing and dentist DEF number 5? I don't think it's according to ranking in serps.

Here you can not make any major change. The only thing you can do is to optimize meta title as far as possible and nothing else.

 

[joned]

Here you can not make any major change. The only thing you can do is to optimize meta title as far as possible and nothing else.

Absolute claptrap!

Local SEO is a huge area and growing fast. Have a read of the PDF Edwin posted for a good starter

Cheers, Jon

 

[Blackpool]

This may help, to some extent at least...
Search Engine Optimisation for Local Businesses

Yes thank you this helped me, cheers for this

 

[retired_member34]

This may help, to some extent at least...
Search Engine Optimisation for Local Businesses

Excellent guide Edwin, very well summarised. You are quite a master at linkbait.

 

[Edwin]

Excellent guide Edwin, very well summarised. You are quite a master at linkbait.

Oh, I wish that were true, but it would take a bunch of people Digg-ing it and Sphinn-ing it to really make it linkbait

Still, glad you found it useful. I may publish some other SEO guides in future, I've got hundreds of pages of notes collected over the years.