A Little Wrinkle in Local Search

If you've ever wondered why some searches you make on Google give you local results and a map, while others don't, I'm afraid I can't really tell you, except that Google is forever trying to guess whether you want to see local results or not.

However, there are two things you can do to increase the chances of seeing a map and local business Places results. Both of them involve telling Google where you are.

Firstly, you can include your location in the search 'string', by typing in 'solicitor Bury St Edmunds' for example.

Secondly, you can tell Google your location so it assumes you want to see local results whenever you search for a service. You can occasionally do this when you do get a map, by selecting the 'change location' button if it appears.

But you can also do it another way: when you make a series of searches for services without specifying your location (this seems typically to be 5 or 6 searches), Google will eventually ask you your location in a small box at the top of the organic search results. When you type your location in here you can also ask Google (on that browser) to remember this for future searches.

From then on, you should get local search results, with a map, whenever Google detects your search is for a 'local' service (dentist, solicitor, car repairs, and so on).

It's yet another wrinkle in Google's quest to give us all what it deems to be the best possible results whenever we search its massive database.

Google isn't perfect - not by a long way - but it is very, very clever!

Roy

Save £75 - and Your Business

Are you making these two mistakes in your business?

If you're not making good use of the Internet to promote your business and at the same time wondering how you're going to survive the recession ... I've got great news!

Because you CAN make use of the Internet and online marketing to help your business thrive, with or without a website.

Now, you could be one of many people featuring on a directory site. You could place classified ads on Gumtree or Graigs List, along with everyone else.

But you don't need local directories or classified ads. In fact, you don't have to share your webspace with anyone when you use Google or Yahoo's local listings service. And you can often get onto page one of those listings quite quickly, with YOUR business literally placed 'on the map'.

Meanwhile, if you have a website, you'll link your local listing to that, and you'll want to get the best possible position in the search engines for it as well so you can maximise your 'web presence' and really start to dominate the search engine results.

Add a blog and you could even have three listings!

Here's the good news. If you want my help 'optimising' your website to get a better placing in the search engine results, I can do that for you. And I'll add your local listing to Google and Yahoo for you absolutely free of charge as well. Normally, I charge £75 for local listings.

Prices to optimise your website for you start at just a few hundred pounds. Take me up on that and you save £75 on the local listings. I can even help you set up and maintain your blog.

Or, if you prefer, you can just pay me £75 to do your local listings for you.

Email me, Roy@CinnamonEdge.co.uk and tell me which of those you'd like done for you!

Roy

Find out more about online marketing at www.Cinnamon Edge.co.uk