When ranking a Places page Google rewards exposure with exposure. This means the more places (reputable places) you show up on the Internet, the higher Google will rank your Places page and in turn, rank your website. Just like in the “offline” world, the more people that know about your business, the more popular you will be.
Ranking a Places page is an online popularity contest. So go get a bunch of spammy backlinks to your website, write a bunch of fake reviews and you will “dominate the search engines!!!” Right? –Wrong! That may have been the case several years ago, but come on, Google is getting smarter every day and that stuff just won’t fly anymore.
10 Ways To EXPOSE Yourself Online
1. Information. Fill out your Places page completely and accurately. Lots of pictures, videos, hours of operation etc. Note: if you are constantly changing your address and phone number, it WILL hurt your rankings. Google wants stable established companies.
2. Reviews. Don’t fake it or you could get in trouble. Get actual reviews from actual customers. Develop a review program that motivates people to review your biz. I recommend sending an email after every job and ask for feedback on how you did along with a link to your Places page, Yelp or insiderpages.com. Offer discounts if you have to. And don’t stop. If you get a bunch reviews all at once and then nothing for 6 months, then Google will diminish the values of those reviews.
Google tracks IP addresses so if your cousin three state away leaves a review then don’t expect that one to count for much. Google knows where the reviews come from. They need to be local.
All reviews are not the same. If you open a Google and account leave a review and that’s it, then it may not count at all. However, if someone has a Google account and leaves reviews on a regular basis for different businesses over a years time, then that’s a powerful review and that’s what you want.
It’s best if your reviewers are living in your service area, you want reviews from as many different locations in your service area as possible. This one way that Google determines your service area when ranking.
3. Directories. Register with the top 10 free local directories and encourage people to leave reviews on them as well. Also, put links from your site to your directory pages to make them easier to find.
4. The Chamber. Register with the local Chamber of Commerce and make sure you get a link from their site along with your Business Name, Address and Phone (exactly the same as it appears on your Places page). This is called the NAP. Some people are saying that having links from the Better Business Bureau are powerful, but I have not verified that because I have personal issues with the BBB and refuse to pay their ridiculous fees.
5. Other Businesses. You want links, but you want them to be LOCAL. That means other local business link trades. Call them up explain how it will help both of you. Also include the NAP.
6. Local Websites. Find local blogs and try to get links from comments, advertising asking for a trade etc. Some of them will let you add business info for free. Do a Google search for: “Your City” + “add your business” and “Your State” + “add your business” . You should find all kinds of sites that allow for free submission.
7. Newspapers. Do the same with local online newspapers.
8. Non-profits. Join local subscription non-profits in your area, make donations etc. Just make sure you get links and NAPs listed on their sites.
9. Social Media. Start a Facebook Fan page AND actually post to it on a weekly basis. Get people coming to it by networking or by Facebook ads.
10. BackLinks. Finally, do some old-school link building techniques like keyword research, onsite optimization, blog comments, forum signature links and article submissions. See how to videos for more info. Notice this is last because, although it is important, it is not primary any more.
Resources
Here is a list of links that will help carpet cleaners with their Google Places listings optimization. Follow these guidelines to not only rank your Places page, but also stay within the guidelines and avoid suspension or deletion.
Google Places Ranking Factors
David Mihm local search ranking factors.
Google Places
Link to Google Places account login page.
Google Places User Guide
Link to Google Places User Guide.
Quality Guidelines
Business listings in Google Places must have correct information about physical, local businesses, as they appear in the real world. Adhere to these guidelines for best results.
Local Listings Content Policy
These are the items you need to comply with to avoid issues with Google such as denial of access, removal of one or all of your listings, being blacklisted from adding future listings, or deletion of your Google Account.
Help for Business Owners / SEO Consultants
Useful resources from Google for business owners and consultants working with Google Places.
Correcting Listings / Problems
Guide to reporting and correcting incorrect listings and/or data within a listing.
Google Places Videos
Link to the YouTube channel for Google Places.
Google Places Help Forum
Link to the Google Places help form.
Known Google Places Issues
Link to known issues with Google Places.
Google Business Photos
Details and application instructions for getting Google business photos.
This blog has tons of information on Google Places Ranking: http://www.davidmihm.com/blog/
Check out this site for finding citations: http://www.whitespark.ca/local-citation-finder
