Category Archives: Local SEO

This is a collection of all Local Splash Blog posts that cover Local SEO

How to Determine Whether a Google+ Local Page Has Been Claimed and Verified

Last Updated On August 13th, 2014Local SEO, , , , ,

Ever since Google made the transition from Google Places to Google+ Local it’s been hard to determine whether a business page has been claimed and verified. Local Splash’s tech team looked into this and discovered how to tell if a page has been claimed and verified.

It doesn’t matter whether a business has been claimed of verified, it always contains the “Is This Your Business?” section with the “Manage this page” button:

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The way to tell whether the page has been claimed and verified is to click on the “Manage this page” button. The page you see after that determines whether the page is claimed and verified.

If the page is claimed and verified, clicking “Manage this page” will take you to the Phone Lookup page:

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If the page has not been claimed and verified, after clicking the “Manage this page” button you’ll arrive at the Place Page Claim page.

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Exception to this rule: The above is true as long as the Google account you are signed into has not claimed any prior Google+ Local pages. If you have previously claimed (claimed, not verified) any pages, then clicking the “Manage this page” button will take you to your Google Places dashboard.

5 Local Search Tips to Start Using Today

Last Updated On August 13th, 2014Local SEO, , , , , , ,

Local search marketingLocal search matters. According to Google, 97% of consumers search for local businesses online. A study by comScore stated that 61% of searchers consider local search results to be more relevant and 58% think they’re more trustworthy. Eyetrack studies prove that users’ eyes go straight to the Maps results in Google when viewing the search results. These are just a few reasons why your business should have a local search campaign. Here are 5 local SEO tips you can start using today to help your business get found:

1. Track your rankings. Use software or reporting tools that allow you to monitor your rankings on different search engines and compare. Check out which cities are working best for you and concentrate on them. Also see what people are typing in to find you and focus on those keywords.

2. Create local-targeted landing pages. This allows you to optimize for searchers in a specific location or those searching with that location name in their query.

3. Claim your business listing on multiple directories including Google Places, Yahoo Local, Yelp, Merchant Circle, Superpages, About Us. Make sure you fill out your business profile completely on each of these sites.

4. Get active on social media. Combining social media with local search efforts with increase the time in which you see success. If you don’t have a company blog, start one! 57% of businesses have acquired a customer through their company blog. Link from your social media networks to your website to drive traffic.

5. Enhance your listings and landing pages with coupons. Give your potential customers an incentive to try out your business rather than your competitors’.

3 Steps You Can Take to Start Your Local-Mobile Campaign Today

Last Updated On August 13th, 2014Local Maps SEO, Local SEO, , , , , , , ,

Local mobile marketingThese days, your local search and mobile marketing campaigns should go hand in hand. If you’re a local business looking to get your company seen in the local search results (Google Maps), then you can’t ignore that many consumers are using their phones to find information about local businesses.

The Facts:

  • 40% of Google Maps usage is on mobile devices
  • 33% of mobile searches are local and 61% of those users actually called the business
  • Nearly 80% of smartphone users use their phones to help with shopping and 74% make a purchase
  • 61% of smartphone users search for local info while on-the-go with their mobile devices
  • Mobile Internet users will surpass desktop Internet users by 2014

What You Can Do:

  • Claim your Google listing. If you haven’t already, find your business on Google. You will see “Is This Your Business?” on the right hand side of your Google+ Local page. Click “Manage this page” to claim your business.
  • Edit the content of your page in Google Places for Business.  Add 5 Google categories to your business, fill out your business description with relevant keywords and add as many photos as possible (Google allows up to 10). Optimizing your page makes it attractive to search engines and potential customers.
  • Use Google Offers. These can be seen on the Android phones of consumers searching in your area. According to comScore, most people who use offers return to the business again in the future. Sixty percent of all local searchers use offers from their phones.