Businesses That Can Benefit From Local Search

Accountants
HVAC
Apartments
Appraisers
Architects
Art Galleries
Artists
Attorneys
Auto Rentals
Auto Repair
Auto Sales
Banks
Bathroom Remodeling
Beauty Salons
Bed and Breakfasts
Bookkeeping
Building Contractors
Building Material Suppliers
Cabinet Makers
Carpet Stores
Carpet Cleaning
Caterers
Daycare Centers
Chiropractors
Churches
Cleaning Service
Clothing & Accessories
Computer Consultants
Computer Repair
Condominium Rentals
Condominium Sales
Counselors
Consultants
Dentists
Dermatologists
Electricians
Equipment Rental
Financial Planners
Flooring
Florists
Furniture Dealers
Gift Shops
Golf Courses
Graphic Designers
Health Clubs
Interior Designers
Landscape Architects
Landscape Contractors
Home Inspection Service
Hotels
Insurance
Interior Designers
Janitorial Services
Jewelers
Kitchen Remodeling
Limo Service
Lighting Supplies
Liquor Stores
Loans
Locksmiths
Lumber
Massage Therapists
Mold Inspection
Mortgages
Movers
Nurseries
Optometrists
Painting Contractors
Party Planning Services
Pest Control
Photographers
Physical Therapists
Physicians
Pizza
Plumbers
Printers
Property Management
Psychologists
Psychotherapists
Real Estate
Restaurants
Roofing Contractors
Shoes
Signs
Solar
Storage
Stock Brokers
Surveyors
Swimming Pool Contractors
T-Shirts
Tax Consultants
Tax Return Preparation
Taxicabs
Termite Control
Tile Contractors
Tire Dealers
Tours
Towing
Travel Agencies
Tree Service
Trucking
Upholsterers
Vacation Rentals
Veterinarians
Video Production Services
Water
Water Damage
Window Cleaning
Windows and Doors
Window Tinting
Window Treatments
Yoga

What Are The Best Sites For Local Search?

So you want to know where to place your effort in order to get your business seen on the Internet. Who doesn't. Problem is, it's different for every business and it's different for every community. Fortunately, finding the best sites to promote your business is easy to do. Here's how it's done.

1. Start by doing a search on Google (just as a potential customer would) to find your business. I'm not suggesting that you search for "Dollies Gourmet Pizza," but rather, "Pizza Kihei." (Product/Service + Location) This is how real people search for pizza in their community ... unless they're looking specifically for Dollies. And if they are looking for Dollies Gourmet Pizza, it doesn't matter where your pizzeria shows up on the Internet anyway. If they're looking for Dollies, they're going to find Dollies.

Look at the results. Who comes up first, second, third etc.? These are the sites where you need to focus your attention. These are the sites where you need to be listed. In this example the results are as follows:
* Google Represents 65% of all searches

1. Google Maps
2. Local.yahoo.com
3. Yelp
4. Yelp
5. TripAdvisor.com
6. MatteosPizzeria.com
7. UrbanSpoon.com
8. IAF.net
9. CitySearch.com
10. SwitchBoard.com
11. Boorah.com

2. Next, do the same search on Yahoo! Here are the results for Yahoo!
* Yahoo Represents 19.6% of all searches

1. Local.yahoo.com
2. Local.yahoo.com
3. local.yahoo.com
4. Yelp.com
5. Yelp.com
6. ShakaOizza.com
7. TripAdvisor.com
8. Maui.CitySearch.com
9. JustClickLocal.com
10. Travel.yahoo.com

3. And then do your final search on Bing. Here are the results for Bing.
* Bing Represents 8.4% of all searches

1. Bing.com/local
2. Yelp.com
3. Local.yahoo.com
4. TripAdvisor.com
5. Local.yahoo.com
6. Kiheihi.web.aloha.com
7. TripAdvisor.com
8. Yelp.com
9. TripAdvisor.com
10. Travel.yahoo.com

This exercise will show you exactly what your potential customers are finding on the Internet when they search for your product or service in your community. Based on the results you will know exactly where to spend your time and effort.

Based on my findings in all of the search engines (and knowing that Google represents the lions share of the searches) for "pizza in Kihei," here are the top five sites where I would focus my local search attention.

1. Google Maps
2. Local.Yahoo.com
3. Yelp.com
4. Bing.com/Local
5. TripAdvisor.com

If you want to learn how to get listed in these locations, please contact us for more information.

What Are The Most Optimized IYP Sites?

Here is a wonderful article by Andrew Shortland on the results of a test he did on IYP SEO Rankings Report 2009

Here's a quick synopsis of the results

Here are best SEO IYPs of 2009 in rank order along with their scores:

1. Superpages
2. Citysearch
3. Yelp
4. Yahoo Local
5. InsiderPages
6. YellowPages.com
7. BizJournals
8. AreaConnect
9. MagicYellow
10. Switchboard
11. MerchantCircle
12. GetFave
13. Yellowbot
14. Yellowpages.Lycos.com
15. Kudzu
16. Discoverourtown
17. Loqal.com
18. Local.Ingenio.com
19. YellowUSA.com
20. IAF.net

Here is Andrew's top SEO IYPs of 2009 listed in terms of Alexa rank order. *YahooLocal

2 Yahoo Local
356 Yelp
663. YellowPages.com
940 Citysearch
1,018 Superpages
1,165. MerchantCircle
1,837. BizJournals
1,912. Yellowpages.Lycos.com
3,800. InsiderPages
5,655. Switchboard
6,020. AreaConnect
9,141. Yellowbot
9,744. GetFave
11,388. MagicYellow
14,896. YellowUSA.com
16,653. Kudzu
23,261. Discoverourtown
33,195 IAF.net
57,680. Local.Ingenio.com
160,785. Loqal.com

Local Search and Newspapers

Great article by Chris Silver Smith on 3 Ways to Optimize Business for Local Search via Online Newspapers

Google Business Listing

Signal Strength

How Strong Is Your Signal?
Google is listening ... and so are all of the other local search engines. They are scanning the Internet with the intent to discover what other websites are saying about your business, because your reputation matters.

Before you get started

Here is what you're going to need before you get started with local search. Do not attempt this without having this information. It could cause irreversible damage.

• Business Name
• Address
• Location
• Phone Number
• Web Address
• Contact Email
• Fax Number
• Mobile Number
• Hours of Operation
• Payment Methods
• A short (keyword rich) description of your business
• A list of Products, Services, Brands and Specialties you offer
  
• A list of Certifications, Awards and Reviews
• Web links for your business
• A graphic image of your company Logo
• A photo of your business or product line
• Videos of your business - owner, testimonials, directions etc.