Category Archives: Local Maps SEO

Introducing: Google Indoor Maps

Local Maps SEO, Search Engine News, , , ,

Google recently partnered with some of the largest retailers, airports and transit stations in the U.S. and Japan to provide you with Google Indoor Maps. Now when you’re lost inside an airport, shopping mall or other confusing location, you’ll be able to use Google Maps to figure out where to go.

Google Maps “My Location” feature already shows your location as a blue dot so you can see yourself on the Map from your mobile smart phone to avoid walking or driving in the wrong direction on city streets. It also shows familiar landmarks and buildings nearby to give you a better understanding of where you are. However, Google Maps used to be able to get you to the right building, but once you went inside, you were on your own to find the right gate at the airport or the correct office in an unfamiliar building, until now.

Check out this video for a better understanding about how Google Indoor Maps works and read the official Google Blog for more information.

http://youtu.be/Gy-DI_bWElg

Google Places Gets a New Look

Last Updated On August 13th, 2014Local Maps SEO, Local Search Techniques, Search Engine News, , , , , , ,

As we all know, Google Places is constantly changing and updating. Over the past week, there has been plenty of buzz about the new makeover Google Places has undergone. After our Local Splash provisioning team has researched the new face of Google Places, here is an outline of the changes we’ve found.

The New Search Engine Results Pages:

Newlookplaces2

• The red Google pins are now grey. If you hover your mouse over the grey pins turn red.
• The map is vertically larger and more pins are displayed.
• When you click on the red arrow a new panel to the right is displayed with more information. This information includes Place Page photos with more details and the business’s home page.

Great Marketing Opportunities

When a user already knows the name of the business they’re looking for, the results page looks like this:

Newlookplacesbiz

• All of the important business information is above the fold on your page – this is prime marketing real estate.
• The Places Page and website are both displayed; if you click the right arrow it will go between both.
• Citations (listings and directories) are shown.

The new look of Google Places is great because it displays information without needing to actually click on the business’s Places Page. This is extremely beneficial for small businesses that may not have much of a marketing budget or online presence because Google Places is completely free. Claiming your Google Places listing allows you to establish your business online with little investment. Be sure to completely fill out your Google Places page information with plenty of details about your business (including photos, videos, etc.) to maximize your Google Places page’s value and boost your rankings.

5 Local SEO Tips You Should Know

Last Updated On March 14th, 2024Local Maps SEO, Local Search Techniques, Local SEO, , , ,

LocalseoIf you’re a local business owner trying to make a name for yourself online, local search engine optimization (SEO) is what’s going to help you do it. Want people to find your business in the search results instead of your competitors? Here are 5 quick local SEO tips that you can use to help make that happen.

1. Complete your Google Place page. Claiming your business’s Google Places page then completely filling out all the information, including all five videos, all 10 photos, business hours, payment options, contact information, etc. will drastically improve your search rankings.

2. Make sure you have a physical address in the city you want to be found for. Businesses that are physically located in the city searched for have the best chance of ranking for keywords in their city. Chances of ranking well in surrounding areas decrease significantly unless you have a Google Adwords pay-per-click advertising campaign.

3. Submit your business to local directories. The more local directories your business is found in, the more chances you have to be found on page one of Google, Yahoo! and Bing search engines. Make sure your business appears in directories like Yelp, Facebook, Merchant Circle and more.

4. Encourage your customers to write reviews. Google takes into account how many reviews your business receives and whether or not they are positive. Gaining many positive reviews will boost your search engine ranking significantly.

5. Keep your business information consistent. Even so much as having your street address written using “St.” in one directory and “Street” in another can hurt your rankings. Search engines like to see clear, consistent information, which means inconsistent business information can hurt your rankings drastically. When submitting your business to directories or claiming your business, make sure you are always using the same format to write your business name, address and phone number to avoid this.

Need help with your local SEO campaign? Get some help from the local SEO experts at Local Splash. Check out our services today.