Rangefinder - September 2014

wrong, as it inconveniences its customers and makes it look bad as a search engine. Therefore, having your information listed incorrectly can push your ranking down.

Do your due diligence and Google yourself from your desktop and mobile device; make a list of directories that includes your business.

I recommend that you not have a

1-800 number and instead get a new cell number with your local area code if you’ve relocated your business. That way, Google can easily understand your area on the map.

Bonus Tip: I sometimes add my full phone number to my “meta description on blog posts,” which is something you might want to fill out for plug-ins such as Yoast or All in One SEO Pack.

3ONLINE DIRECTORIES/ CITATIONS

If you see your competition ranking high in the search results, it’s most likely because they are listed on a few online directories. This is an area many photographers don’t take the time to do, and it should not be taken lightly as it has huge benefits for local SEO.

Once you’ve covered the basics in Tips

1 and 2, list your business on online directories, or “citations” as they are called in the SEO techie world. The more citations you have (aka entries)

with other people’s sites, validating that
your website or blog really belongs to
the person it says it does, the better for
your local rankings. Google likes to see
other websites verify your site.

There are both paid and free listings to take advantage of. I recommend Moz Local ( moz.com/local/search), which has a simple tool to see how “findable” you are online, with great resources and information about which online directories are the most popular ones for our field. Also, check out some major online directories such as Bing, Super Pages, Yelp, City Search, Hot Frog, etc.

Bonus Tip: If you have a business with multiple locations that are far enough away from each other, such as studios in different cities or states, have a separate page for each region you serve.

4 LIST YOUR BUSINESS WITH GOOGLE

Google is the No. 1 search engine in the world, so it’s a no-brainer to be listed on it, plus, it has its own business directory: Bonus! Google Plus and authorship, I have to admit, are a bit confusing, but they’re absolutely essential for being found online. To list your business on Google, visit www.google.com/business.

Follow the instructions for listing your business, filling out your profile, entering your information with your location and NAP. Google will send you a postcard with a PIN, and once you enter the PIN, there is a waiting period to get approval, which can be weeks or months. (If you have never updated the PIN, then most likely you don’t have a Google listing.)

To check your listing, Google yourself on www.maps.google.com, or check in the new Google My Business. If you see a dual listing, contact Google to adjust the listings to ensure your business information is correct.

Bonus Tip: Because being listed with Google involves Google Plus, you should be posting to Google Plus a few times a week. Use automated plug-ins or If This Then That ( ifttt.com) recipes to make it easier.