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.
Above: An example of Reis’ Google My Business page.
Below: Page titles should be consistent on your website.
get found online