Did you know that there are over 500,000,000 unique local searches performed on Google each month?
That’s HALF A BILLION searches every month!
And here’s another fact about local marketing…
The Yellow Pages suck! Its on its last leg as a viable marketing tool.
This is for 2 main reasons:
- Its expensive…it costs upwards of thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars a year. That means it takes a lot of sales to cover your investment.
- Its outdated and irrelevant. I know I throw mine away instantly now…right in the green recycle bin in my garage. Most people under 35 do the exact same thing too. Now, I’m sure some people still use it from time to time, but that number is shrinking fast.
So…now you know that Google local search is exploding and that the Yellow Pages is becoming irrelevant.
Google Local must be really expensive then right? I mean if you were able to steal HALF A BILLION eyeballs each and every month from the Yellow Pages, you would charge a pretty penny, right?
I would to…
But Google doesn’t charge a penny.
Nothing at all. Totally free.
And you will at the VERY top of the search results..above the organic listings.
I made this short video to not only show you how to get listed, but also how to optimize your listing so you can appear at the top of the local search results.
Check out the video and leave me your comments!
***UPDATE: I’m all out of Google Voice invites, but….
You can buy them on Ebay for around $7. Totally worth it. Here is a link
Nice one Brian… I also agree the yellow pages is dead. We just did a street talk interview and asked a whole bunch people if they used the yellow pages anymore… the resounding answer was “no”.
We made a pretty funny video about it, thought you might like to check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4cCZ0DHcBQ
Also, are you still keen to do an interview for my clients? Let me know.
Thanks, Brian
I have been on top of the local business buzz by helping other businesses. Never thought about listing my own business. TADA…now I know how.
Brian,
I was watching the video and when you were inserting photos then it cut off? I help my clients with Google Maps and am always looking for new ways to improve, would like to see the full video.
Joe Anthony, CEO
J.A. & Associates
Hi Brian,
Great video… and you let the cat out of the bag! You broke the silence on what local search “really” is. Organic are good, but being on the top by the maps is incredible. We did about 30% of sales in ’09 just from leads from Google Local… now called Google Places.
We are on top on many of our categories. Just search – “Business Phone Systems” Houston, TX and you’ll see where right on top. I’ve worked hard to us there and it’s paying off. Also, as you’re on top of Google Places you’ll eventually get a phone call from Google with an invite to add a little, yellow tag to your listing… it’s been golden for us and we’ve stayed on top since.
Great job! Check us out at http://www.goconvergex.com
RG
Brian,
Great job explaining how to setup your Google listings correctly. It is best to try and maximize every thing you can when filling in the blanks.
Like you mentioned… take the time fill all 5 keyword listings. Add as many videos and pictures as you can, etc.
The average person doesn’t take the time to fill in all these lil extra things. It makes all the difference in moving up to the top of the Google listings and getting a letter beside your business (or clients business).
Love following your blog and the great tips you share.
Warm regards & gratitude,
James Rivers
P.S. I would love to receive a Google Voice invite. Check your inbox for an email from me. Thank you in advance.
Great presentation. Exactly what I needed. Only drawback was the graphics were not sharp and difficult to see. Overall, Great job.
Thanks Brian! Great tutorial. Wish I would’ve seen it before plodding through setting it up for By The Numbers and some of my other customers!
James is right, too. The more pertinent information, the better.
Are you really out of Google Voice invites? See me at http://www.bythenumbersroofing.com or email me at info@getbythenumbers.com
Excellent info Brian. I am always surprised how many people are not aware of how to accomplish this. Part of my package to local clients is to get them listed in Google, Yahoo! local. Because most SEO tactics take a long time to see results, being able to show these local listings quickly is a value add for most clients… AND it does drive business.
Brian, I’m curious what your experience/results have been in regards to businesses not being close to the center of town? Google seems to give an unfair preference for businesses that are physically located towards the “centroid”. I thought the addition of the ‘territories’ feature would make a difference, but we’ve yet to see it.
This appears to be good info, but for a couple of problems. At points you were mumbling, and I couldn’t hear what you said. I even have my volume at 100, and couldn’t hear you. This doesn’t hurt of people are already familiar with most of what you’re doing.
Many are not familiar with local search, and all the possible options. I was trying my best to follow, and couldn’t. You need to have someone else audio proof the video, to check volume levels. I’ve noticed more and more that people have poor audio levels in their videos. They appear to be using the camera mike, and not lavalier or stand-alone mikes. This is okay, if the camera is close up. If not, it makes the audio hard to hear.
Brian,
You said you would send out Google Voice Invites.
I would like to receive one please.
Thank You,
Joe Anthony, CEO
J.A. & Associates
Thanks – I am about to send this out to loads of my contacts.
Thanks Brian, now I have a few things to add to my Google local listing to make it better!
Great video
I help local businesses get ranked in local search. Nobody knows what they are doing great job in providing value for local search results. When I talk to businesses they have been burned so many times with great promises and no follow through. The SEO industry is brutal it is great to see someone that provide value first.
i’ll be sure using this info
thank you brain.
Quite Nice Blogpost. Would you mind if I take a small snippets of your article and obviously link it to your blogposts??
I’ve had my Local listing for several years now, but never thought of trying to optimize that the way I have my website. Particularly the idea of getting vendors to provide links. Thanks!
Thanks for always being generous in sharing your knowledge, Brian.
I didn’t see the video. Your link doesn’t work…..
Human of Ego Catering Rental Apartments and to Africano Assemble specialising in Car and Trips and Tours in Sharm El Swayer
hi brian
a very informative video
i do have one question
given all the changes occurring with google places
now looking at dominating serps what are your thoughts?
thanks
john
Local is search is very important for all business owners who are selling product or services to local clients. As we all know almost 80-90% searches clicked from top 10 google results so if we can get listing in google places then nothing is better then this. We have worked for a real estate client in India & we got almost 40% business leads from local searches…. better is to optimize your website for local searches as well….
Local search is huge for sure. The new listing format makes it even more critical.
Local search listing is very important for all business owners who are selling product or services to local clients. As we all know almost 80-90% searches clicked from top 10 google results so if we can get listing in google places then nothing is better then this. We have worked for a real estate client in India & we got almost 40% business leads from local searches…. better is to optimize your website for local searches as well….
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Ok wow thats huge Brian, especially in my tiny country where it would so beneficial for small businesses!!! and marketing to small businesses!! Such a valuable video, Im seeing the changes already in my countries local search. Thank so much.
Hey Brian,
some organic searches still show above the local places listings 3 or 4, what can we make of this or does this mean places is settling in and will superseed organic in due time anyway? Any info appreciated.
It really depends (not the best answer but it’s true).
I imagine that local will supersede it soon.
great post about local business search
thanks
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